


A Political Affair

by ChibiFoxx



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Angst, Implied non-con bite only, M/M, Manipulation, Politics, Prejudice, Slow Burn, There will be a sugary-sweet happy ending, Things Get Better, a/b/o concepts, a/b/o with a political twist, enemies au, mental trauma, rivals au, world building
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-05
Updated: 2018-06-12
Packaged: 2018-09-15 00:44:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 122,295
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9212180
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChibiFoxx/pseuds/ChibiFoxx
Summary: Notice:This fic will be rewritten. (refer to Author's Note on Chapter 18)---As a young Omega, Yuuri had wanted nothing more than to be able to live freely and pursue his dreams. But with the crushing reality of having an Alpha-dominated government, Omegas were forced to live the life society wanted them to have, even if it meant selling their lives to an Alpha suitor at a young age.Protected by his family and fuelled by their ideals, he managed to cheat the system and decided to form a political party that would rival the one that had been on the top for the past few years- led by one of the fiercest Alpha politicians out in the field, Victor Nikiforov.Note: Heavy on worldbuilding. Enemies!AU with a lot of angst and a happy ending.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> PLEASE READ:
> 
> A warning that this chapter will have mental trauma/implied non-con bite only **(no rape)**! In fact, there will be **NO rape or any non consensual elements** in this fic. (EXCLUDING mild non-con marking and slight mentions of such cases to discuss political viewpoints and standings on the issue)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Story Segments:**
> 
> **1st segment:**  
>  Prologue (We are here) (Chapters 1-5)  
> University Arc (Chapters 6-11)
> 
> [Time skip] 
> 
> **2nd segment:** _(Middlegame)_  
>  **3rd segment:** _(Endgame)_  
>  1st Election Arc [Chapter: Checkmate]  
> 1st Re-Election Arc [Chapter: Stalemate]
> 
>  **4th segment:** _(Non-Zero-Sum Game)_  
>  2nd Re-Election Arc [Chapter: Modus Vivendi]  
>  **Finale**

There was a time where secondary genders were nothing but a minor inconvenience, playing a rather insignificant role in dictating how people should live their lives. People lived in relative peace, indulging in simple pleasures with nothing to label their attraction towards their mates. Then the Age of Enlightenment came about, and it brought about a new era of scientific thinking, drastically rewriting the laws that one had become so accustomed to. But there was nowhere in the world which felt the impact more than the European states, which embraced the novel ideas that were ushered in with a readiness that set them far ahead compared to the other parts of the world. 

When the idea of secondary genders was introduced, the world was turned on its metaphorical head. It shocked countries, and that had been an important cornerstone, one that had reignited the hopes of many towards scientific advancement. Yet there were some that held doubts for what was to come, and even more naysayers who dismissed the discovery as a fluke. 

As the days progressed, it became apparent that people did indeed harbour secondary natures. People were classified into three main groups, and the Westerners with their lead in technological developments granted them with their respective names.

Alphas, those who possessed a relatively higher amount of testosterone compared to the other categories. They were characterised by masculinity, evident fearlessness and were of a better build. Their strength was unparalleled, simply stronger and more domineering than the rest. They were made to lead, made to achieve- made to _protect_. 

Omegas, who were characterised by their maternal instincts and their innate desire to nurture. They were the most submissive of the lot, made to rock the cradle, made to _be cared for_. 

Betas were supposedly the least impressive of the lot, with no distinct features or qualities that could be attributed to them in particular. They were the most ordinary amongst them, the neutral gender that served to even out the disparities between the other two. 

It was with this new revelation that brought about a dramatic shift in the dynamics in how a country was governed. Omegas were seen as the inferior, at the bottom of the barrel. They were viewed as less capable and were looked down upon in the labour market. Neither their work ethics nor their qualifications mattered; most employers would pick the next available Alpha or Beta without a moment’s hesitance. 

Now, of course, one would only expect the situation to be more dire in the realm of politics. Omega parties were almost never elected into the Parliament, and while the country was run by a multi-party parliamentary system, the majority of the seats were given to parties that were comprised largely of Alphas. They easily won the majority vote, given that they claimed to focus more on the progress of the country as a whole, and less on trivial matters such as the rising unemployment rate of Omegas. This stemmed from the changing attitudes towards particular secondary genders, namely Omegas and Alphas- the former which took the blow the hardest. This prejudice was further fuelled by the fact that Alphas made up more than half of the population, an increasing trend born from the inherent bias towards conceiving Alpha children. 

An increasing mortality rate of Omega babies, coupled with the want for Alpha successors worldwide resulted in a despairingly low percentage of Omegas to date. Only a miserable twenty-two percent of the population, Omegas became well sought after as mates for Alphas. 

Currently, most Omegas preferred being with Betas- or even with other Omegas for that matter, though the latter occurrence was far lesser. This was due to the stigma that most Alphas were arrogant and self-righteous, thinking that they were entitled to do just about anything with an Omega mate. This notion was bolstered by the poor protection of Omega Rights, and the fact that most crimes committed by Alphas onto Omegas were quickly covered up by the government, with little to no laws targeting such acts of felony.

The worry of a population decline was evident since Betas frequently produced sterile offspring with the other two genders, and could only produce non-sterile offspring with other Betas. With this concern in mind, the Parliament then passed “The Breeding Act”, where Omegas were matched with Alphas at a young age in an effort to chain down Omegas to potential Alpha suitors to encourage bonding and mating. 

This was a law crafted by the legislator and executor, the Prime Minister of that time- Vincent Nikiforov, head of the ruling party in the Parliament. With his party occupying majority of the seats, he could just about push through anything he wanted, including Bills that were passed under the guise of benefitting everyone at large, which was in fact further oppressing the Omegas.

When Yuuri was born, his mother cried. Cried for the future that lay ahead of her son, wept for the opportunities that were made virtually non-existent by his secondary gender. At that tender age, he barely understood the meaning behind the gazes sent his way, or the reason why his family was that much more protective of him compared to his older sister. 

As he grew, he soon came to understand why his family had acted that way. 

At just ten years old, he had been paired with his first Alpha mate in school. The other boy had treated him cruelly, face twisting into an ugly smirk when he had been named as _his_. 

“You’re mine now,” the boy said, eyes glinting with a kind of hunger that struck chords of unadulterated fear within his heart. “You listen to me, got it?”

That was the start of his dawning comprehension, the realisation that this was just how society worked. A place where one’s abilities were quantified by their secondary natures, a society where one’s freedom was dependent on what they had absolutely no control over. 

Yuuri had been terrified out of his wits when his mate tried to forcibly drag him back to his place, adamant that they got to know each other better. He had screamed and kicked, looking around pleadingly for any form of intervention from the watching teachers. But his cries were met with looks of pity, and no one; not even the adults, dared to step in to help him. 

Thankfully his sister had arrived early to fetch him back that day, rushing to his aid the moment she heard his yells. After she had forcibly pried the boy’s hand off his wrist, she held his shaking form close to her, eyeing the teachers gathered at the side with disgust. 

“It had to be done,” his form teacher said quietly. “Should the boy’s family choose to lodge a complaint, the law enforcers will be on your back in an instant.”

His older sister had clutched him all that much tighter to her bosom, spitting at the teachers. “If they dare to do so, they’ll have to go through me first.”

He had been too busy wiping away his tears and snot in a conscious effort to avoid dirtying her shirt, that he had missed the way his sister had looked at him then, while she had carried him to her car. 

“It’s alright.” She had muttered soothingly, rubbing small circles into his back. “Yuuri, it’s alright.”

When he was home, his mother had engulfed him in a bone-crushing hug. She ran her fingers through his hair, pressing a kiss to the crown of his head as incoherent words tumbled from her lips. 

“I’m sorry, Yuuri.” His mother had told him when she had composed herself, still shaking slightly. “I’m so, so sorry.”

A few months later, he realised just why his mother had told him that. 

“If it’s money you want, I can give it to you.” His sister had said stubbornly, shielding Yuuri protectively from the couple at the inn’s doors. 

The woman had snorted derisively. “Darling,” she said, voice inflecting with a sarcastic note. “Sooner or later you’ll run out of money to spend.” She then glanced out of the corner of her eye, and much to his horror, captured his curious gaze. “What will you do then?”

Yuuri had flinched instinctively, ducking behind his sister with a distressed whine. 

“Shall we inform the authorities?”

“There is no need for that.” His sister had snapped quickly. “We will make sure you are well compensated for this.”

“Very well.” The woman said with a note of finality, looking away from him. “Should you fail to keep your promise, you can be sure that this matter will be brought up to the officers.”

The couple had left quickly after that, much to his relief. His sister had turned to him, ruffling his hair in a fond gesture that he had come to dislike. She gave him a smile, one that was tinged with sadness. “Live your life the way you want to, Yuuri. Live for no one but yourself, remember that.”  
  


* * *

  
  
The first time, it happened a year later, on a night that was just like any other. 

Perhaps he had been foolish, thinking little of the weight of his decision. He never understood why his sister had been so determined to fetch him home herself every day, and when he decided to return home himself that fateful evening, he had absolutely no idea what he had walked into.

Yuuri shuddered, pulling his jacket closer to his body as he walked briskly through the streets. His house was just a fifteen-minute walk from his school, and he would be home in no time, he told himself. 

His sister had told him to wait within the school compounds, for she would be late to pick him up that day. But he was an impatient child, and he had never been very good at listening to orders. Little did he know that this would be his first lesson in many to come.

So lost in his thoughts he was, that he walked right into someone in a painful collision. He had spluttered, pulling himself off the floor as he bent over in apology. It was an automatic response, and he had been taught to be polite. 

But the person did not respond, and that should have sounded the first warning bell. A hand reached down and deftly cupped his mouth, the cloth over his palm effectively silencing his cries. He was vaguely aware of the hand that pressed the back of his head into the smelly rag, and instinctively he thrashed, gagging as he attempted to writhe himself free from the strong grip. 

But his efforts were futile, and his childlike struggles were rendered useless when his arms were pinned to his sides. He was tossed over a shoulder like a ragdoll, and black patches began eating into the edges of his vision. His eyes stung, and his heart was thudding frantically against his chest, about to leap out of his mouth. He wanted to shut his eyes, but he knew, subconsciously that if he had allowed himself to do so-it would have been the end of him, no question about it. 

Then all of a sudden the grip on him loosened, and the shrill screech of tires against the concrete was all he registered before he blacked out.

When Yuuri awoke, he was lying on a tatami mat. He jolted up immediately, eyes wide and searching as liquid terror filled his nerves with renewed vigour. His mother was already holding him tight before he could properly take in his surroundings, while his father was watching on beside her, expression riddled with sadness and scorn. 

He could hear shouting from the next room, and he flinched as his head throbbed in response. A few seconds later, his sister entered the room with a phone in hand. She chucked the device at a far corner of the room in malice, and he winced slightly at the sound. The fury melted off her face once she laid eyes on him, however, and she was by his side in an instant with particularly glossy eyes. 

“Thank fuck you’re safe.” She said, and Yuuri wanted to reply- wanted to vocalise his confusion, but the burning in his throat made itself known and he curled in on himself, dry coughing. 

“Those fucking scoundrels.” His father’s low baritone echoed through the room, and the Omega in him withered slightly at the Alpha’s infuriated tone. “We gave them compensation, yet they dared to attempt something like that-”

His mother sat him upright gingerly, handing a cup of water to him which he took eagerly. She turned to his father, whispering something to him in hush tones. His father quietened down, biting his lip.

“We... can’t report them.” His sister had whispered. "If we do, they threatened to report our misdoings as well."

"They have no evidence of the deal."

"Neither do we have much evidence of the kidnapping," she retorted, throwing out her hands in helplessness. "They had planned to sell him on the black market, no doubt about it."

His mother made a choking sound at that, and his father dug his nails into his palms. 

His sister bit his lip, turning to the side. "They had said: 'You all know very well that an Omega could sell for millions.' " 

They turned to look at him then, gazes saturated with conflict and helplessness. And for all his naivety, he was not oblivious to what had just transpired.  
  


* * *

  
  
The second time, he hadn’t been cautious enough.

Just a few weeks after Yuuri had returned to school, his intended mate had cornered him in the toilet when the teachers were out for lunch. The boy looked absolutely furious, pupils shrinking to slits as he eyed him like a piece of meat. 

“My parents said you’re nothing without me.” The boy snarled, punching the wall. “You should just be mine.”

He had shrunk back involuntarily, obviously terrified. Bracing himself against the tiled floor, he saw an opening to the boy’s side, desperate to abscond from the angry Alpha. His senses were debilitated and clouded by the domineering scent of the other enraged male, causing him to miss the crucial second. The male followed his gaze after a beat, moving to block his path of escape. 

“You need to be taught a lesson.” The boy said slowly, an obvious parrot of what his parents must have drilled into him. He watched Yuuri with a steely gaze, a sinister smirk creeping onto his face. The shot of pure fear in Yuuri's chest kept him rooted to the spot, and he could only watch as the boy advanced on him, trembling visibly. 

“You smell fucking delicious.”

The words rang in Yuuri's ears, and it was the only thing he could hear as he was pushed to the floor, back aching as he squirmed against the uneven tiles. He was screaming by then, writhing below the boy who had him pinned to the floor. The blood roaring in his ears was deafening, and he was barely aware of the hand that had reached up to tear at his shirt, or the way the hot breath against his neck made his gut churn. Seconds seem to drag on to minutes, then hours- then the pain came, and his throat gave out as he gave one last shriek. 

It was hot. 

It was stifling, the way the heated body above ground into him made him sick to his stomach, made him want to retch- to the way the blood trickled down his skin, searing the pain into his memory.

The teachers had found him only later, curled up on his side on the cold floor in a puddle of his own blood. He was clutching his chest, eyes wide and unseeing as the teachers tried to snap him out of his stupor, but the damage had already been done. They had pulled him off the floor hastily, applying medication to his wounds- and it stung, eating away at his flesh, but he could only feel numbness, spreading infinitely from his head to his toes. 

To say that his family had been horrified was a profound understatement. The teachers had tried to patch him up the best they could but the scars still remained, and the crushing feeling only exacerbated when his sister wiped away the dried tears crusted on his face, weeping the entire while.  
  


* * *

  
  
His family had pulled him out of school after that, hiring a private tutor to tide him by the next two years of his schooling life. He had been awfully reserved, refusing to socialize and associate himself with just about anyone after that experience. His new tutor-Minako, tried to break down his mental walls time and time again, but with little success. 

A week into attempting to speak with him, she had seated herself against the door of the room he had locked himself in, pulling her knees to her chest as she sighed. 

“Yuuri,” she called softly. “I’m here for you.”

She leaned against the hardwood, looking to the ceiling. “We don’t have to rush into anything. I’ll go with what you want to do.”

After about a few minutes, she heard a small click from behind her. She pulled herself to her feet, eyeing the door carefully. “Yuuri… I’m coming in, alright?”

When she was met with silence, she opened the door slowly, treading into the room with the cautiousness of a baby deer on ice. The Omega was leaning against the frame of his bed, head tucked in his knees.

She moved to his side, seating herself at a distance from the other boy. She was close enough to comfort him with her presence, yet ensure that it was not too suffocating for him.

They sat in companionable silence for a while. 

“You don’t smell like an Alpha.”

Minako had turned to the boy so quickly that she could have gotten a whiplash. 

“I used suppressants.” She replied slowly, folding her hands on her knees. “I thought it’d be better for you,” she added as an afterthought.

“Thank you.” The boy had turned to the side slightly, just enough to regard his tutor with a sincere gaze. 

Minako smiled. “Say, Yuuri. Would you like to learn about... the government?”  
  


* * *

  
  
Yuuri slowly opened up to his tutor. With her patience and coaxing, he was drawn out of his shell little by little. He respected her for her dedication and patience, and she had been willing to go along with whatever he had suggested. She never nagged, never pressed- she simply waited for him to sort out his thoughts on his own, and would always be there for him whenever he needed her. They built a relationship on mutual respect and understanding, and Yuuri could not have asked for anything more than that. 

He began to understand gradually, why exactly he had been subjected to such assaults. With Minako’s help, he shelved his mental scars as much as he could, determined to look ahead and never to the past. Slowly, he began to foster a keen interest in the significance of secondary genders. 

“Why must Omegas be given to their mates when they are so young?”

His teacher had almost spit out her coffee, slamming her mug on the table as she bent double. 

“I know why we need to mate.” Yuuri had said, discomfited by his tutor’s reaction. “But I don’t know why we must give ourselves to someone we don’t know when we are only so young.”

“That’s a very good question.” Minako said, wiping her sleeve across her mouth. “I have no idea who let that Russian buffoon write our policies.”

He squinted at her, and she hummed in thought. “Yuuri, do you know who our leader is?”

“Vincent Niki-fifor?” He replied, conjuring up memories of the name he had seen so frequently on the newspapers his father read daily. “Nikoforiv?” He tried again, struggling with how foreign the name sounded on his tongue. 

“Nikiforov.” She corrected, but she waved the thought away just as quickly. “Nevermind with his name. He’s the one coming up with all these ridiculous laws.”

“He’s an Alpha.”

“Yes, and I’m ashamed to say that I share my secondary gender with that guy.” Minako scowled, leaning against her palm as she turned her pen over in her hand. “He gives us Alphas a bad name.”

At his confused look, his tutor elaborated. “He used his status and power to crawl his way into the government,” she sneered. “A foreigner leading Japan, can you believe the gall of him?”

“They say that he was born in Japan, though.” Yuuri said quietly, playing with the hem of his shirt. 

Minako gave him a long look, appearing hesitant. “Politics is dirty, Yuuri.” She said in a lower tone. “I shouldn’t dig further into this, because it is not my place to say something like that.” 

He doesn’t probe any further, but his curiosity had already been piqued. The following weeks saw him fixated in front of the computer screen, exploring the endless discourses on forums and blogs about the implications of being born as an Omega.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... I intend for this fic to focus more on the way a/b/o shapes one's society, should this concept exist in real life. In a way, this would affect the way a country is governed- at least in this fic. Plagued with prejudices, this illustrates an Omega's struggle to have his voice heard with the odds stacked against him. Since politics is a very touchy and complex subject, I would not dwell too much on it, rather I would like to explore how a/b/o would affect the dynamics between different people and how it inherently empowers Alphas- by taking the form of political leadership. 
> 
> To clarify, there wouldn't be any major non-con/rape, and Yuuri was simply wounded/bitten/sexually harrassed in this chapter. Many more characters will be introduced as the story progresses, and the respective tags will be added. 
> 
> For anyone curious about the make-up of the population in this fic, I referred to [Omegaverse Genetics - One Theory](http://archiveofourown.org/works/766040/chapters/1435445), a tweak of Variation 4, for a scientific explanation. With credit to the explanation in the link: In brief, Yuuri is a Omega with the genotype OO, born from his Alpha father of genotype AO and Omega mother of genotype OO. Here, instead of Betas with the genotype BB being sterile, Betas of genotypes BA and BO are sterile. This would mean that Betas with genotype BB can only mate with other Betas with the same genotype to produce non-sterile BB offspring, and in the case where a Beta of genotype BB mates with an alpha or omega to produce Betas of BA/BO, these offsprings would be unable to reproduce, ending the generation. This would explain the need for the policy implemented, "The Breeding Act", where Omegas and Alphas need to mate to possibly produce any Alpha/Omegas. BB genotype Betas hence only make up about 8% of the population, with other Beta genotypes having a much higher percentage due to the trend of Omega-Beta mating mentioned above, leading to the decline in population.
> 
> Thank you so much for giving this a try, and I hope you've enjoyed it so far! <3


	2. Brave

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuri learns to defend himself.

All Omegas were meant to be given their own pet at twelve years of age, to foster their nurturing skills and prepare them for parenthood ahead of time. It was written as such under The Nurturing Scheme, where pet licenses were given out for free by the government to families with Omegas. 

His family saw no harm in going along with that, and while he had vehemently protested against going along with any government policy at first- his stubborn front crumbled when he laid eyes on a plain looking poodle, doe-eyed and slobbering all over itself in an endearing way. His rebuttals died on his tongue at that instant, and a warmth pooled in his belly as he watched the animal prance about within the confines of its cage. 

“That’ll be forty thousand yen.”

Yuuri had paused at that, looking to his sister in confusion. 

“It’s two hundred thousand yen,” he said, glancing at the price labeled on the cage. “I think you miscalculated-”

“It’s discounted.” The staff interjected, and Yuuri could sense the slightly derisive tone the employee was using. 

“For Omegas, in particular.” The staff clarified, directing a pointed look at him.

The words were akin to a stab in his gut, and Yuuri bit his lip in an effort to hold in the surge of indignation he felt. He turned to the side, a bitter taste in his mouth as he spoke. 

“I want to pay the full amount.”

The staff raised a brow, leaning against his hand as he stared at the boy before him. 

“It’s forty thousand yen for you because you’re an Omega.” He repeated, adding extra stress on the last word as if it was all the explanation that was needed. “Don’t you feel special?”

“Now, now.” His sister had cut in, waving her hands about in a placating manner. “It’s alright. I’ll pay for it.”

Yuuri had to hold in a whine as he watched his sister hand over the money obediently, pocketing the change that she should not have kept if they had been allowed to pay the full fee. 

“It’s a discount, it’s alright.” His sister had said, but her eyes had softened when she took in his sullen expression. “It doesn’t mean any less of you.”

Yuuri had sneaked a peek at the staff who served them, only to notice that he was watching their exchange with a small smirk on his lips. He frowned, and he could feel tears prick at the back of his eyes. 

“It does.” He had said, with a firmness in his tone that surprised his sister. He sniffed, trying to rationalise the emotions churning in his gut. “I don’t like it.”  


* * *

  
  
Yuuri felt the same when he walked into school on the day of his fourteenth birthday. He had been forced to enroll in a high school once he had hit the eligible age, for his private tutor was not qualified to teach him above Junior High level. 

“Katsuki Yuuri.” The receptionist in the general office read off a document, addressing him with a bright smile. “Alright, you’re a year one student-” 

She had paused then, surprise written on her face when she scanned the rest of the page, and Yuuri already knew what she had seen before she continued. 

“I’m an Omega.” He had said, finding comfort in admitting it himself rather than to hear the words from another’s mouth. But his courage ran dry when the receptionist’s eyes flickered up to meet his, and the once bright smile on her face turned into a tight frown. 

“Are you here with your Alpha?” She asked, with an edge to her voice that Yuuri remembered disliking. 

“No.” Yuuri replied, and forced himself to keep up the assertive front. “I’m here alone.” 

The receptionist thumbed at her lip. “Would it be alright if both of you came together?” 

“Why?” He blurted out before he could stop himself, fuelled by a wave of annoyance. “Can’t I register by myself?” 

The receptionist had looked at him funny then, and Yuuri caught himself before it was too late. It was near impossible that anyone, let alone a Beta- was able to tell that he did not have a mate without sniffing at the scent glands on his neck, and he had been downing far too many suppressants for his heat to surface without any warning. Scent blockers had done their part as well, and he easily came off as a satiated Omega, avoiding any unwanted harassment from any hungry Alphas. 

“I-I mean,” Yuuri corrected, stuttering in alarm. “He isn’t in the same year as I.” 

“Alright.” She finally said, but her response was deliberately slow and drawn out. 

Yuuri could tell that he had been close, far too close to letting the fact that he lacked a mate slip. He gave the Beta before him a polite smile, one that he had hoped would douse the flame of suspicion that he had sparked. She gave him a once over, reaching over to pull out some papers from a dossier. 

“Here are your papers. The timetable is at the back.” 

“Thanks.” He had breathed, but froze instinctively when the receptionist refused to loosen her grip on the papers when he had reached for it. She was regarding him with a watchful gaze, tapping a pen against the desk. 

“You’re aiming to major in social studies?” 

Yuuri had swallowed then, anxiety clawing away at him as he nodded. 

The receptionist gave him a grim smile, and he felt the same emotion swell up within him even before she spoke. 

“Don’t be careless, Katsuki Yuuri.” 

The advice sailed cleanly over his head, and he felt the heat on his cheeks as his pride took another bruising. He knew better than to speak his mind, however, and turned away before the administrator could get another word in. 

She had probably meant well, and she had been kind enough to not pursue it further, but it felt wrong. It felt wrong that he had to feel like he was walking on eggshells all the time, living in fear that he may slip up at any given moment. Above all, it felt wrong that he had to feel this way whenever his secondary gender was brought to light. 

It was humiliation, he had realised. The very fact that the people around him were belittling him with their words, their gazes, even before he had an opportunity to prove himself as anything more than what they assumed. It was demoralizing, and even Omegas who had been born with a will of steel and a fire in their heart would find it difficult to continue on with the same passion when faced with these adversities. 

‘I know I am capable,’ he had thought, the anger rising to his young head all too quickly. ‘I’ll show them that I’m just as competent as any other Alpha.’  


* * *

  
  
He was fifteen when he made his first friend. 

His classmate had reached out to him somewhere in July, intrigued by his overt avoidance of Alphas. He had been shy at first, social anxiety at a high after having been isolated from his peers for his odd behaviour. 

“You’re Yuuri right?” His classmate had chirped, bubbling with excitement. “You’re an Omega aren’t you? We should stick together!” 

The girl, who he had come to know as one of his closest friends for years after their meeting, then proceeded to chatter his ear off. She had introduced herself as an Omega, her laughter a sweet sound to his ears as she dragged him to lunch. 

They stuck to each other for the rest of the year, and it was undoubtedly the happiest few months of the young Omega’s life. 

Yuuko had dispelled his loneliness, coming into his life like a brilliant ray of light that had blinded him to his own insecurities, even if for a moment. She had helped him to understand, for the first time in his life, the want to protect someone dear to him, and he began to open up to others with a more accepting heart. 

His friend had helped him out to the best of her abilities when he had been bullied, chasing his tormentors away by bursting into the scene as valiantly as she could and announcing that she had called for a teacher. The bullies would dispel then, disgruntled but nonetheless afraid to get into trouble, but he would be too busy trying to suppress the visceral fear that erupted in his chest to take much notice. 

She would run to his side, draping an arm over his shoulders in reassurance as he recovered. He would cough, trying to clear the heady, overpowering smell of Alphas from his nose- and it would be swiftly replaced by a mild fruity scent of his friend that never failed to bring him instant comfort. 

“The Alphas don’t like you because they said that you looked at them funny.” Yuuko had said, eyes shining with sadness. “They’re just mean, don’t mind them.” 

She would then lead him to the infirmary with an arm draped carefully around his shoulders, her smile never waning as she told him about the most asinine of things. He knew that she had been trying to cheer him up, and in hindsight, he was indeed blessed to have such a kind friend at his side. 

But just as he felt the desire the protect for the first time, he came to realise how impotent he actually was. 

“Stop doing that!” The girl screamed at the group of Alphas one day, hands fisted by her sides in rage. “Yuuri didn’t do anything wrong!” 

Yuuri had been by her side then, hiding behind her when they had walked in on the bullies vandalising his desk. She had been at her breaking point, cheeks puffed out in anger when they had finally caught them in the act. He had been too timid to confront them, justifying his lack of initiative with the knowledge that the bullies had only ever picked on him. 

But how wrong he was. 

One of the Alphas in the group had stormed to them, fury in his eyes- and before Yuuri could do anything, he had Yuuko’s hair in a tight grip. He threw his friend to the floor, delivering a sharp kick to her side as she screamed in terror. Yuuri had been too stunned to react, watching with unbridled horror as the group soon joined him in his assault. 

“No!” He had yelled when he had finally gotten his bearings, rushing forward to help his friend. He had latched onto the arm of the Alpha who had delivered a particularly savage kick to Yuuko’s face, clawing at him when he refused to stop. 

“Don’t hurt her!” 

He half-screamed at them, panic seizing his heart in an iron grip because he never wanted this to happen, never thought this would happen. It had only been him, after all, and he had already begun to accept his fate. 

A fist swung at him, and he was sent sprawling to the ground with a choked sound. His right eye pulsed in pain and the stinging sensation blossomed to his cheeks and temple, and for a frightening moment he thought that he had lost his vision. 

Yuuko’s sobs met his ears, and the boy who had punched him was looking at him in disgust. 

“My mate would never look at me like that,” he said with a sneer. “You’re asking for trouble with those eyes of yours.” 

Yuuri had glared then, directing a look so acrid to the Alpha that the other boy faltered for a moment. It was an act of defiance, one that he had not regretted despite the consequences. 

“You can’t tell me what to do.” Yuuri had croaked, the world still spinning slightly as the pain dissolved into a slow burn rimming his eye. “It's my right.” 

The boy looked downright pissed when Yuuri refused to back down, meeting his glare with one of his own. He reached down, and Yuuri shrunk back involuntarily as his scent invaded his senses. 

“You’re going to regret that,” the boy hissed. 

Yuuri had tried to flee then, scrambling to his feet when the Alpha snarled. He grabbed his flailing wrists when he had attempted to struggle, holding both his hands in place with a single hand. Shocked by the other’s strength, he renewed his thrashing when the boy reached for his face with a primal glint in his eyes. 

His fingers dug into the edges of his injured eye, and Yuuri forced himself to shut it as more pressure was applied. He began to hyperventilate, head swimming with fear- yet his frown did not disappear, and he continued to resist the Alpha holding him down. 

“I’ll make it so you won’t dare to look at us that way again.”  


* * *

  
  
“He said that he was provoked.” 

“That’d ridiculous, why would an Omega do that? He knew he wouldn’t have stood a chance.” 

“But his teacher had said that Yuuri had always disliked mixing with his classmates.” 

Yuuri could hear the voices as they echoed down the corridor from the room next to his, and he kept his head lowered as he leaned back into his chair. His head felt heavy on his shoulders, still woozy from the oral anesthetic that had been administered to him. He had listened to the comments with half an ear, mind too preoccupied with thoughts on the other occupant of the room. 

He perked up immediately when he heard the sheets rustle, turning his head in the general direction of the sound. 

“Yuuko?” He had called out tentatively, keeping his voice low. He knew that patients would be particularly sensitive to ambient noises when they awoke, and the last thing he would want was to jar his injured friend. 

The movements stilled, and for a moment Yuuri had thought he had been mistaken. 

“Yuuri?” Came the quiet gasp, and he startled when loud thuds filled the otherwise silent room. 

Yuuri winced slightly at the sound. 

“You shouldn’t move,” he started, but he was cut off when he felt a gentle touch on the side of his head. 

“What did they do to you?” His friend said quietly, and he could hear the way her voice was shaking. “Yuuri, oh god-” 

Her words soon dissolved into muffled sobbing, and he reached out blindly in an effort to comfort his friend. His hand met air, however, and his friend’s sobbing amplified. A hand reached for his own, guiding it to meet damp skin. Yuuko’s cheeks trembled under his touch, wet from the tears she had spilled, and his heart sank. 

The door to the room slid open abruptly, and the two Omegas pulled away from each other. 

“You shouldn’t be moving about.” A scratchy voice said, and his friend hesitated. “Please go back to your bed, Yuuko.” 

She obliged and the springs on the bed squeaked as she climbed back into it. The person cleared his throat after that, and Yuuri knew that he was about to address him next. 

“Yuuri, I need you in the next room.” 

Yuuri nodded his head, letting the doctor take his hand as he led him out of the room. He had been made to sit in front of a desk, and there was a scraping sound as another chair was pulled out before him. 

“Yuuri.” Another voice said, and this one was certainly deeper. “I’m the doctor that treated you.” 

He clenched his hands in his lap, trying to dismiss the worry that gnawed at the back of his mind. 

“There had been some external damage to your cornea.” The doctor began, speaking slowly so he could process his words. “You might suffer from vision loss.” 

Yuuri bit his lip, trepidation bubbling forth when the chair is pushed out again, and he could sense a movement to his right. 

“I’ll remove the bandages now.” The doctor said calmly, and he suppressed the jolt in his gut when the voice was closer than he had expected. “Keep your eyes closed until I’m done, alright?” 

The bandages had been taken off with a carefulness that had him fearing for the worst, and he flinched when the gauze pads over his eyes were removed. 

“Open your eyes slowly. Tell me if you feel any pain.” 

The room was relatively dark, dimly lit by a lamp sitting on the desk. His eyes had stung immediately, still sensitive from the operation but he could see, he could _see_. His nose tingled with emotion, the back of his eyes burning with tears of relief- and he had reached up to wipe them away, only to find that his vision remained blurry. 

“Everything’s blurry,” Yuuri said in alarm. 

He could not see anything properly, and the doctor by his side was a gentleman well into his forties, or at least he appeared to be. He had assured him that it was a normal side effect, one that may or may not heal in time. 

“For now,” the doctor had said with a sad smile, “you would need to wear prescription glasses.”  


* * *

  
  
His friend had hugged him when he had told her the news, shaking with emotion. 

“Those bastards.” She said, tears brimming in her eyes. “I’m so sorry, Yuuri. If only I hadn’t shouted at them-” 

He had shoved her away on instinct at the contact, and his eyes widened when he realised what he had done. He had grown to dislike being touched ever since the incident, and such instances of physical affection only served to evoke detestable memories. 

“I-I’m sorry,” he had stuttered, adjusting his glasses on the bridge of his nose. “I’m fine, Yuuko. I really am.” 

He bit his lip and reached forward to pat her shoulder tenderly, casting her an apologetic look. Thankfully his poor attempts at comforting his friend seemed to do the trick, and a smile broke out on Yuuko’s face for the first time since the incident. 

“No, I’m sorry. It was probably too sudden, huh?” She chuckled softly to herself, but the moment was gone and her eyes turned sad again. “Yuuri, what will we do?” 

Yuuri had frowned then, the ugly memories resurfacing in his mind. 

“They don’t believe us. They think that we provoked them.” 

“This isn’t fair!” Yuuko cried, grabbing at his hands. But she thought better of it and released his wrists after a beat. “Yuuri, they hurt your eyes! How can the adults not side with us?” 

“Because they will easily take an Alpha’s words over an Omega’s.” He muttered, a thumb pressed against his lip. “Alphas are granted more leeway for their actions because society values them more.” 

Yuuko sniffed. “It’s all because Alphas are better than us naturally. It’s stupid.” 

Yuuri looked at her thoughtfully. 

“Actually,” he said slowly, “we Omegas are just as important as Alphas, but people seem to have forgotten that.” 

“Yuuri, that’s not possible. Our only use is to start a family.” 

Yuuri gave her a sad smile. “It’s hard to convince others when we ourselves don’t believe in our worth.” 

“Then what should we do?” His friend said tearfully. “No one will believe us, and I don’t want to drop this and take the blame.” 

Gears were turning in his brain, mind racing as he sought for a solution. Then his eyes lit up, and he snapped his fingers. 

“We don’t have to.” He had said, suddenly serious. “Trust me on this.”  


* * *

  
  
The next time they had met with the principal, he was ready. 

“The case is closed.” The father of one of his bullies said gruffly, looking around as if to challenge anyone who dared to rebuke his statement. “That boy has absolutely no proof that my son had laid a finger on him.” 

Yuuri had looked to his form teacher who had been present, frowning when he noted that she did not make a move to speak. He knew for a fact that his form teacher, more than anyone else in school, would know about his bullying. She had never interfered, but his past experiences had already taught him to never expect any form of help from his teachers. 

He had learned to rely only on himself, and to try to convince his teachers of the happenings would be alike trying to debate colours with someone who was obviously color blind. It was of no use, and his days of lamenting over the unjust of the preferential treatment were over. If he did not want to be labeled as the sheep that cried wolf, he needed to find evidence, or in this case, elicit the evidence from the very perpetrator. 

His parents had been extremely upset with how the whole affair was handled, and had tried to reason with the chemistry teacher who had found them just a few minutes after. Unfortunately, the teacher had been extremely indifferent, refusing to put in a word for Yuuri even though he had witnessed it firsthand. 

_“I have fulfilled my responsibility by breaking the fight apart.” He had said with a haughty air. “Anything else should not be expected.”_

It was not unexpected, Yuuri had told himself. If he had to obtain his own justice himself, he would. 

“I have proof.” Yuuri spoke, and his voice seemed remarkably quiet in the large room. “I have an audio recording.” 

The effect of his statement was instant. The boys that had bullied him turned stark-white at his words, and their parents had looked at one another in mild disbelief. 

“Play it then,” a woman said curtly, and Yuuri recognised her as the mother of the boy that had cut his eye. “Play it, and we’ll be the judge of its authenticity.” 

He had narrowed his eyes then, presenting his phone to them. 

“If he has recorded it, wouldn’t that mean that he had planned to play the victim?” Another parent piped up, glaring at him. “He could have planned to accuse our boys at the very start, and provoked them into hitting him.” 

Yuuri refused to answer, watching as the principal took a moment to look the phone over before tapping the screen. The audio was played loud enough for all those in the room to hear, and for a period of time, only some growling was heard as noises of roughhousing cut through the quiet. Then there was a scream, and his voice could be heard as he pleaded for the bullies to stop. 

He looked over to the Alpha just as the boy’s voice was played after his, and his bully looked utterly horrified. 

_“I’ll make it so you won’t dare to look at us that way again.”_

His parent’s expression mimicked that of their son’s, and the young Alpha swallowed roughly, voice trembling as he tried to explain himself. 

“I… That’s a lie-” 

The principal was shaking his head then, and the boy’s parents were sending pleading looks to the man in charge. 

“Did you hurt the Omega on your own accord?” The principal spoke, looking at his stammering classmate with a stern gaze. “Did you, or did you not?” 

The boy crumbled. His pitiful frown was replaced by an infuriated scowl in a blink of an eye, and he had lunged for Yuuri who had been standing by the side. 

Yuuri had seen it coming, but he was still not quick enough to sidestep him- and the Alpha had him knocked to the floor for the second time that week, baring his fangs at him as he snarled viciously. 

“You fucker.” The boy spat, bunching his fingers in his shirt as he moved his face closer. “You should learn your place.” 

Yuuri held his breath, watching as the adults ran to his aid all at once. They pried the snarling Alpha off him with some difficulty, and the boy was kicking and screaming as he pinned Yuuri with a vindictive glare. 

“You’re just a stupid little Omega.” His classmate continued to shriek, trying to fight his way out of his father’s grasp. “We should have clawed out your fucking eyes.” 

His heart was still thumping loud enough for him to hear, adrenaline pumping through his system as his parents fussed over him. Yet he could not help the small smile that wormed its way onto his face, and the glares of the Alphas present in the room were nothing compared to the look of absolute pride on the faces of his family.  


* * *

  
  
“Say, Yuuri.” His friend had said the day after, appearing slightly hesitant. “Did you really record it?” 

Yuuri hummed. He looked around to survey his surroundings, ensuring that there was indeed no one else but them both on the rooftop. 

“No.” He said after a moment, the corners of his mouth twitching upwards. 

Yuuko wore a bemused frown as she regarded him. “Yuuri… it was fake?” 

His smirk dropped then, and he sighed. “I got a conservatory student to help me put it together. She’s an Omega as well, and she was... rather sympathetic about my plight.” 

“Yuuri…” 

“I just needed it to goad them into admitting it themselves.” He said quickly, waving his hands from side to side. “I never planned on using it as actual evidence.” 

If possible, Yuuko looked even more confused. But she had relaxed visibly after his clarification, shoulders sagging as she took to leaning against the banisters again. 

“That’s amazing, Yuuri.” She said after a beat, her whisper barely audible over a particularly loud gust of wind. “How did you do it?” 

“I gave her recordings of my voice,” he admitted. “She synthesised the rest using a computer program. I could remember what was said, so it wasn’t too difficult to make it convincing enough.” 

Yuuko was looking at him in wonder. “But… his voice sounded so real.” 

“When people are in a state of panic they tend to discount such details,” he responded, tilting his head. “The background noise helped to muffle the electronic intonations, and even so it could easily be explained away by the poor sound quality of a handphone recorder.” 

Yuuko was looking at him solemnly, and he had flinched when he finished. 

“I know it’s not very ethical-” 

“You proved your point when he attacked you again in the office.” His friend interrupted, blinking in realisation. “He attacked you without being provoked, and that had scrapped any of his claims against you.” 

Yuuri nodded. “I expected him to, and he fell for it.” 

Yuuko shook her head, laughing softly as she engulfed him in a hug. He had jumped slightly, freezing up when her arms wrapped around him- but he forced himself to relax, stilling his movements as he leaned into her. 

“You could have been caught if they examined it carefully, though.” Yuuko added. “And you’d be in trouble instead.” 

“It wasn’t that big of a case so the chances were unlikely.” 

She laughed. “You're really brave, Yuuri.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to think that Yuuko and Yuuri had a tender relationship when they were younger, and in this case, she had been the one to help him overcome his fear of socializing with others. A rather underwhelming chapter I must say, but there were some important plot points that had to be addressed. 
> 
> That being said, I will try to make this fic as realistic to the canon-verse as possible. :') It'll only get more heated in the chapters to come!


	3. Whistleblower Pt. 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuri digs deeper.

The next few years had been the hardest Yuuri had ever studied. He had excelled in most of his subjects, putting extra effort into English which had been his weakest link so far. Most students, and even some teachers- did not bother to hide their obvious distaste as he began to climb the rungs of the proverbial ladder, and soon his name was on the scoreboards for all to see at the end of every term.

Yuuri was an extremely competitive person at heart, and that was probably one of the many factors that had contributed to his good grades. He never thought much of his future, too preoccupied with cramming formulas into his head and spending numerous sleepless nights studying for even the most insignificant of tests. His hard work paid off, eventually, when he was streamed into the best class at the end of the term. 

Yuuko had cried, falling short of best by a large margin. She had been pulled out of school at the request of her Alpha’s family, and his friend was nothing short of devastated. Yuuri had felt extremely bitter at first, scorning the power Alphas had over their mates. 

“It’s not fair,” he had said, boring holes into his bed with his glare. “Who gave them the right to dictate our lives?”

Yuuko sighed, crooning softly into the phone to comfort her friend.

“It’s alright.” She said softly, cupping a hand over the receiver. “I wouldn’t have made it far anyway.”

His shoulders tensed, pressing his phone onto his cheek almost painfully. 

“Yuuri, you’re smart. Smarter than anyone I’ve ever met,” his friend continued. “I can only hope that your Alpha wouldn’t pull you out of school as well.”

“That won’t happen.” He replied, frowning. 

Yuuko gave a noise of affirmation. “That’s right, your grades are great! You’re amazing, Omegas don’t normally make it this far.”

Yuuri had nodded absentmindedly at that, momentarily forgetting that they were conversing over the phone. 

“But some Omegas have done as well as I have,” he said after a thought. “They were pulled out of their classes as well.”

“Oh?” His friend sounded surprised. “Now that you mention it, Guang-hong has always been doing decently in his studies as well.”

“He’s been pulled out too.” Yuuri added, clicking his tongue. “Almost all the Omegas I know in school have been.”

“How unfair.” His friend replied, and he could almost visualise her pout. “School won’t be the same with almost all the Omegas gone.”

He had laughed at that, pushing down the small bubble of anxiety in his chest at the thought. It wouldn’t be the same, most definitely, but he could do this, he was eighteen and he was old enough to handle himself just fine in a class alone. 

It would feel oddly out of place, and he would probably feel like a fish out of water at the start, but he was sure that the year would pass by in a blink of an eye. 

“Promise me you’ll take care of yourself, Yuuri.”

He had blinked, a familiar warmth pooling in his chest as he smiled. “I will.”

* * *

When the new term started, Yuuri’s hopes had been flushed down the drain on the very first day. 

His new class was filled with Alphas, particularly those of the wealthier upper classes in society. It didn’t take long for him to realise that, for the very moment he had taken a step into the class all eyes had turned on him. Some of the stares were hungry, others agitated- and above all, they were very much intimidating to the young Omega. 

Yuuri had clenched his teeth and steeled himself for the worst, settling himself into his appointed seat with a strange sense of foreboding. 

It was rare for Omegas to follow through all four years of high school, and it was an even rarer occurrence when they managed to do well enough to compete with the top Alphas in the school. It was particularly difficult for them, and as Yuuri struggled through the years he came to understand exactly why. 

Most Omegas were already living with their mates, having already been given to them in their younger years. The Alpha’s family had the power to withdraw them for school, which many of them did for the sake of keeping them subservient. 

It was supposedly a good call on their part. They could stinge on the education fees that they were now responsible for, justifying their actions with the notion that a good education would simply be wasted on an Omega. Education was a privilege, and an Omega would be best used as nothing but a tool for child rearing. 

‘Housekeeping,’ they would say, ‘is a much more valuable skill for an Omega, wouldn’t you agree?’ 

Of course, Omegas never did have a say in the matter. The Alpha’s word was law, and there was no room for any disagreements unless one wanted to be punished. 

It was rare, but he had never expected that he would be the only Omega in the entire class, let alone the fact that he was the only one who did not have a mate. 

The class was decently civil towards him at the beginning of the year, most of them having grown out of their childish bullying tendencies. For a while he was able to breathe and focus on his studies, pushing his concerns to the backburner. But their attitude quickly changed when he had topped the class during the first common test of the year, and their stares quickly turned venomous, their words scathing.

“Can you believe it? _He_ topped the class.”

“They said that an Omega has never done it before. Did he cheat?”

All the pressure mounted on his shoulders caused him to crash during the mid-year examinations, however, and the class did not let it slide. 

“I knew it was a fluke,” an Alpha beside him laughed, and he could feel his heart ache at his words. 

It was probably his anxiety, Yuuri had reasoned. He was bound to fall, having been riding high on his exemplary results previously, and it was only a matter of time before the pressure became too much for him to take. 

Somewhere at the back of his mind there was nagging thought, one that manifested from his doubt. He was certain he had submitted fairly decent papers, after all. Sure, the stress had made him more jittery than normal, but it could not have been completely responsible for his great jump from the top of the class to being one of the bottom few. 

It was odd, but Yuuri had brushed the thought away quickly. He would do better next time.

He failed the second common test. 

At this point he was near-horrified, staring disbelievingly at the angry red marks on his essay. He could not hear the snickers around him, nor could he see the solemn expressions of those who were more empathetic. 

Tears pricked at his eyes, and before he knew it his feet had led him to the restroom.

All the pent up frustration and indignance culminated in a sudden onslaught of tears, and it found Yuuri in a stall, sobbing his heart out. He had always been a crybaby, but this was the first time he had tasted disappointment so vividly, and for some reason it felt so bitter, so misplaced.

A kick was delivered to the cubicle door, making such a raucous sound that he almost jumped out of his skin, a hand clasped over his mouth as he held in a scream. 

“S-sorry.” Yuuri stuttered, and it took him a full moment to blink away his cloudy vision and fiddle with the lock. He pulled open the door and immediately regretted his actions, shrinking under the glare of the Alpha outside. 

The Alpha sneered, tilting his head as he assessed him with stormy green eyes. He recognised the face instantly, of the blond fringe covering one side of his face to the way his irises glinted murderously in the artificial lighting. 

He was one of the youngest Alphas in the class. Just a few months shy of his fifteenth birthday, he had outperformed many others in his age bracket and had been promoted several classes ahead. As an Alpha, it was easy for the school to come to such a decision. 

Looking at him only served to remind him of his failure, as the blond before him had taken his position at the top of the class last semester. The Alpha was naturally more intelligent and Yuuri had taken comfort in the fact that where he had lacked in smarts, he had made up with hard work and perseverance- but he wasn’t so sure of it now. 

“Yuri Plisetsky.” Yuuri breathed, eyes wide.

His voice seemed to snap the blond out of his thoughts, and the teenager clenched his fists, taking a step closer to him. 

Yuuri’s breath hitched in his throat, and suddenly he was astutely aware of how he was cornered. He had never spoken to the Alpha before, or most of his classmates for that matter. Maybe he should have tried befriending them, or even attempted to start a conversation with the meek girl seated behind him- maybe then he would not be faced with this situation, where the Alpha before him looked ready to kill. 

“Omega,” the blond began with a snarl, pointing a finger at him. “We don’t need two Yuris in the class.” 

The waves of aggression rolling off the Alpha were as palpable as his scent, and Yuuri’s stomach clenched with a familiar feeling of dread when the blond got in his face.

“If you can’t keep up, get the fuck out.”

Yuuri blinked. He did not know what he had been expecting, but it was definitely not this. 

“We don’t need someone incompetent in the class.” The Alpha added scathingly. He leaned towards him, and Yuuri had shrunk back in fear, flinching when Yuri slammed his fist into the wall beside him. 

The blond spat at him one last time before storming out of the restroom, and Yuuri continued to stare at his retreating figure until he was out of sight.

He had stood there for some time, mulling over the Alpha’s words in silence.

* * *

Yuuko had been his pillar of support during these hard times. He had worked so hard, harder than he had ever done before, doubling his previous efforts after every test. But he was met with poor results, despite _everything_ , feverishly studying past the library closing hours and skipping meals in an effort to conserve time. 

She had helped to pull him out of his depressive slump each time. It was getting progressively more difficult to continue to try, and with each failure he fell a little deeper each time, and he was certain his friend knew that too. 

Perhaps that had spurred her to reach out to someone he had least expected for help. 

All these failed attempts brought him to where he was now, sitting at his usual spot in a library corner and going over his notes for the tenth time that day. 

The sky had already turned dark, a dazzling assemblage of glittering stars, and he distantly wished that he could be out on the school field instead of being cooped up in a stuffy building day after day. 

It’s time to leave, Yuuri thought. As if on cue, he could hear the telltale sounds of the librarian hobbling out of her office along with the subtle jingle of keys. With a sigh he closed his laptop and packed up his things, shuffling to the exit with a slowness that reflected his fatigue. 

He turned a corner, repeating lines under his breath when it happened- and it happened so fast, and he had been so tired that he had absolutely no buffer for his fall. He had tripped on air, stumbling forward and much to his horror, collided with someone else. 

Both emitted a painful groan, and Yuuri reached wildly for his glasses as he apologised profusely. He could not see properly, but judging from the size of the blurry blob before him, he was sure that the person had a much smaller frame than his. 

“What the-”

“I’m so sorry, I wasn’t watching where I was going-” He was still grasping for his glasses blindly, and the guy before him gave another groan. Judging from the scent, Yuuri could tell that the other party was an Alpha. 

The guy growled threateningly. “That fucking hurt, piggy.”

“I’m so sorry.” Yuuri repeated, spent from his numerous apologies. He gave up looking for his glasses, opting instead to gather up the pieces of paper on the floor, separating his papers from the Alpha’s as accurately as he could. When he was done he thrusted them into the other’s arms, bowing slightly as he stood.

After Yuuri had found and replaced his glasses on the bridge of his nose, he looked up to properly take in the person he had knocked into and promptly blanched. There, standing in all his angry glory was the Alpha he least wanted to see, given how their last encounter went. Yuuri had gaped openly at him, surprised that he had to meet him of all people- in the library at this ungodly hour, no less. 

“Wha-”

“Shut up.” Yuri snapped, promptly cutting him off.

Yuuri gulped audibly. Not surprisingly, the Alpha was scowling as usual. Though he seemed more amiable compared to how he was before, features softening slightly as he took in Yuuri’s jaded visage. 

“I’m sorry about that.” Yuuri tried to explain, when the Alpha didn’t make a move to speak. “I was studying, and I was so tired-”

“I know.” 

Yuuri paused in surprise. The blond looked like he wanted to take back his words, breaking their gaze at his curious look. 

A sudden noise scared both of them out of their wits, and Yuuri fumbled through his pockets for his vibrating phone. 

It was the alarm for his last bus, and god forbid that he had to walk home on his own should he miss it. An Omega out on the streets alone at this time of the night was very simply, asking for trouble. He’d be sitting duck, and under the cover of the night most Alphas were more daring than ever. 

His sister could fetch him, just like she had done when he was younger- but he had declined her offer when he turned seventeen, determined to be independent. The Alphas already looked down on him for his secondary gender, and he did not need more ridicule for his reliance on his family to protect him. 

He cussed under his breath, bowing apologetically to the Alpha once more before scampering away. This had been a horrible night, and he still had to wake up early the next day to submit his assignment. 

Yuuri paused in his steps at the thought, shuffling through the papers balanced on his arm in a sudden bout of anxiety. A sigh of relief escaped from his lips when he spotted the familiar sheaf of papers from the corner of his eye, and he readjusted the stack in his hold.

He had confidence that he would do well this time, and he was damn sure of it.

* * *

When his assignment was returned, he had been in for another round of disappointment. He had failed yet again, and this time his confidence which was rendered fragile from all the blows of failure had shattered. 

Yuuri slumped over on his desk, glasses misty with tears that he had fought to swallow. Glaring at the paper in a sudden rush of anger, he wiped away a drop that had fallen onto the ink with more force than necessary. The paper crinkled, smudging the black ink- and he paused, mind stilling as he took in the scribbles on the lines. 

Those words weren’t his.

He looked up, wiping a sleeve across his eyes to clear his vision. The handwriting was similar, but it was still different- and he could easily discern that the assignment was in actual fact, not his. 

It wasn’t his.

Yuuri stood then, pushing his chair back with a shrill screech. The class winced, glaring at the Omega that had found it fit to interrupt their discussion of grades. A particularly heavily built Alpha had growled, all ready to walk over to threaten him- when a much deeper, guttural snarl had silenced them both. 

The sound emanated from a blond Alpha sitting further in front, who had turned around to address them with the biggest scowl Yuuri had ever seen. For a fleeting moment he could have sworn that the bulkier Alpha withered slightly under the blond’s glare, and his own relief at the interruption soon turned to despair.

Yuuri had braced himself for the brawl that might have occurred, shrinking back into his seat. But the enraged Alpha did not move one bit from his spot, opting instead to survey the class with an annoyed hiss.

“Which one of you fuckers stole my paper?”

His blood could not have turned colder in his veins. 

Yuuri had turned to look at the paper sitting innocently on his desk, looking over it once more to ascertain his fears. 

When the blond Alpha was met with silence, he had given an annoyed growl, grabbing a paper from the nearest desk. He scanned it quickly, depositing the paper back on the desk of a sputtering Alpha when it obviously wasn’t what he was looking for.

“If you don’t want your paper to be fucked up, you better own up.” Yuri hissed, raising several pieces of crumpled paper in the air. 

Yuuri had taken the chance to drink in the style of handwriting on the assignment, and a chill ran down his spine when he recognised it as his own. Then his mind froze when he took in the grade circled in bright red on the top right corner of the paper, and his jaw fell. 

The words flew off the tip of his tongue against his better judgement, and he had been so stupified that he had disregarded the heavy atmosphere.

“I got an A?”

Numerous heads turned to him immediately, and he quickly realised his mistake. The blond Alpha was at his desk in an instant, eyes blazing and looking absolutely furious. 

“You-” Yuri started to say, but the words died on his lips when his gaze landed on the paper on his desk. His eyes widened, and the paper had been snatched off his desk. The Alpha was looking at his paper in disbelief, and Yuuri was reminded of how he had felt all those times before. 

“I got a D?” He had shrieked, and Yuuri winced. “How the fuck-”

The blond's gaze shifted to the top of the paper, taking in the name that was scribbled on the piece of assignment. Similarly, Yuuri peered at his own paper held in the Alpha’s hand, noting that the other had endorsed the paper with his own cursive name as well.

The two of them had looked up at the exact same time, gazes meeting in a mix of shock and incredulity. 

* * *

“Piggy.”

Yuuri almost jumped out of his skin at the call, turning to the Alpha with wide eyes. He hadn’t noticed the Alpha leaning against the wall in his haste to get to his destination, and that mistake could have possibly costed him a limb or two. 

He had stuttered, and had been too slow to hide the paper in his hands when he had been noticed. 

Yuri was currently watching him with an indecipherable expression, hand tucked neatly within his pockets as he spoke. “Where are you going?”

Yuuri hesitated. “I...” He stammered, holding the papers in front of him. “I forgot to hand up my assignment.”

The Alpha regarded him with suspicion, and Yuuri willed for his voice to stop shaking. He cleared his throat, meeting the other’s gaze steadily. “I’m just going to drop it off on his desk.”

The blond had simple heightened his brows at his explanation. The snark that he had expected did not come, and Yuuri decided to vacate the area before the Alpha could probe further. He had stalked down the corridor as swiftly as he could, unaware of the stare that had followed him as he left.

A snigger, and Yuri clicked his tongue as he tore his gaze away from the Omega. He turned to observe the pigeonholes lining the entrance of the staffroom, and a small grin tugged at his lips.

“How stupid. He could have come up with a better excuse than that.”

* * *

It was a stupid, fallible excuse, and Yuuri knew that. It had just been his terrible luck to have met the Alpha outside, and the repercussions of his carelessness had yet to come around and bite him. 

It was a risk, but it was one he was willing to take if it meant that he could confirm his suspicions.

The staffroom was empty, predictably. Yuuri had noted when the last teacher had left, and seeing as it was rather dark out it was safe to say that most of the staff had already returned home. He had taken the chance to slip through the doors when a male teacher left to get a cup of coffee, sneaking past him with so stealthily that the older Alpha hadn't sensed his presence at all. 

“Good.” Yuuri had murmured under his breath, stalking over to his teacher's desk as quietly as he could. 

Tugging open several drawers, he began to rummage through them, intent on finding the latest graded assignment that had not been returned to them yet. As he searched, he recalled the conversations that he had prior to this- and they had driven him to question the system.

_“Thank you.”_

_Mari had laughed, flipping her hair over a shoulder. “Why are you thanking me, Yuuri?”_

_He had bitten his lip as a blush stained his cheeks, wringing his hands in a display of nerves._

_“Minako said that most Omegas aren’t able to continue school because they were given to their Alphas.” He had explained, shifting his weight uncomfortably. Then he frowned, looking to the ground in thought. “But I like school. I don’t want that.”_

_“You can stay in school for as long as you like.” His sister’s eyes softened. “ No Alpha will stop you.”_

_Yuuri nodded his head vigorously._

_“Thank you.” He said again, and Mari finally understood. She laughed lightheartedly, reaching forward to run her fingers through his hair in an affectionate gesture._

_“Just make sure that you aren’t bullied.” His sister chuckled, but the seriousness in her tone meant otherwise. “I mean it, Yuuri. They might try to step all over you.”_

Yuuri did not fully understand what she had meant then, deducing that she was referring to the bullies that he had so commonly encountered. 

_“School?” His tutor hummed, looking thoughtful. “I don’t remember much of my experience. But I do know that Omegas don’t make it far.”_

_“Why?” He had questioned, feeling disheartened. “Are we not as intelligent?”_

_Minako shook her head._

_“No one really questioned why very few Omegas make it to tertiary institutions.” She responded. “It became a trend overtime for an increasing number of Omegas to stay at home, and it seemed reasonable as Alphas were more sought after in the workforce.”_

_Yuuri frowned. “Why do they prefer Alphas even if we are as educated as they are?”_

_“Traditional secondary gender roles.” Minako answered easily. “Alphas are the ones to work, while Omegas are to be taken care of.”_

_“I don’t see that, though.” Yuuri scowled. “Alphas are horrible to us.”_

_His tutor nodded distantly. “Society is in fact regressing, but the Alphas see it as progress on their part.”_

Yuuri bit his lip, yanking open the bottom drawer. He thumbed through several papers, brightening up when he had found what he was searching for. 

The drawer was divided into three compartments, one of which was visibly larger than the rest, and one that was so miserably small that it only held a few pieces of paper. Upon examination he had noticed that the papers were separated according to the cohort’s secondary genders, and as he allowed himself to flip through some graded assignments, it became clear that there was an obvious difference between them. 

One compartment held only papers with distinctions, the other held papers that were graded fairly poorly for their standard, and the last one held a mix of both.

_“Why do they step all over us?”_

_Minako smiled wryly. “To maintain their intellectual supremacy.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah... can you guess what Yuuri suspects? This chapter was too long, so I had to split it into two parts, gomen. 
> 
> On a side note, our favourite rival makes an appearance! He'd play a major role in helping Yuuri make a bold statement that will be the start of an important event- spoilers? I think not-
> 
> To clear up any confusion in this chapter, Yuuri had swapped papers with Yuri accidentally when they met in the library- and the two of them had submitted the papers without properly checking if it was actually their own, writing their names on each other’s work. :’3 I am sorry for creating any confusion!


	4. Whistleblower Pt. 2

He never did have much memory of his younger days. Perhaps it was the doing of his poor memory, or maybe it was just something that his subconsciousness had chosen not to recall. 

_“We are very sorry for your loss.”_

He remembered screaming, for the abruptness of the news was too much for him to take. The feeling of helplessness choked him, and he was unable to breathe, forgot how to breathe- for a long time. 

_“Yurochka-”_

_“Don’t talk to me!” He screamed. “They are gone, and you’ll never replace them!”_

He had thrown words of abuse, enacting his anger on someone who deserved absolutely none of it. 

_“Yurochka, eat up and be strong.”_

_“You’re doing so well in school, Yurochka.”_

Yet he had stubbornly held his ground, deflecting away the concerns of his sole family member in sporadic fits of anger. 

_“What do you know about school?” He snapped one day, tired of hearing the same words repeated to him over and over. “You’re only an Omega!”_

_His grandfather was stunned._

_“You’re right.” He said after a moment of silence, and he had looked so lost, so tired- that the young Alpha was reminded of how old his grandfather actually was. “Sorry, Yurochka. “_

He had crossed the line that day, lashing out at his grandfather when he had tried to comfort him, rubbing circles in his back like he had always done. And he had watched in horror when his grandfather stumbled back from the push, tethering slightly before collapsing on his side in an unmoving heap. 

_“Grandpa.” The words came out like a whisper, as if he had been ashamed to formulate them the entire time. “Grandpa?”_

He refused to remember the raw guilt that erupted within him, eating away at his conscience and diluting the rage that had clouded his sensibility. 

His grandfather had been nothing but kind to him, practicing a special brand of patience that was only possible from someone who loved him dearly. Two whole years of putting up with his insolence, and his grandfather still refused to leave his side, displaying a sense of selflessness that the Alpha had only come to realise now. 

He had been so overwhelmed with grief, the very emotion that he had tried to conceal all these years, that he had translated it into groundless blame towards someone who had to be suffering as much as him. 

_“Yurochka, sleep tight.”_

That’s right, his grandfather wasn’t an Alpha. He wasn’t an Alpha, just like his father had been. And he never failed to remind him of that every day, when his grandfather had tried to provide for him the same way his father had. 

_“Let’s go for a walk, Yurochka.”_

But he had refused all of his advances, all of his proffered help, determined that he had not needed an emotional crutch- because he was not weak. 

_“It doesn’t taste the same.”_

_“Next time it will.” His grandfather said, giving him a sad smile._

He hadn’t been weak. 

_“Omegas are weak, and I’m not like you in the least bit.”_

He had been blind.

_“Why the hell do you keep trying?”_

He didn’t see- refused to see, that his grandfather had been desperately mending the hole in his heart with what he had lost and even more.

_He flagged down a taxi with his grandfather half-slung over his shoulders, expression tight with desperation as he carried him through the hospital doors._

_“Someone.” He demanded, voice shaking. “He needs help.”_

_The wandering nurses rushed to his aid almost immediately, but upon realising his grandfather’s secondary gender they flagged him to a corner, all urgency gone._

_“What do you mean we have to wait?” He shrieked, tightening his grip on his grandfather. “We came here before them!”_

_“Sorry.” The nurse tending to him said, looking a tad bit sympathetic. “It’s orders, and this is how it’s always been.”_

_He almost lost himself in his anger right then and there, furious at how they dared to treat his grandfather- when he was hit with a stab of guilt, and the withering realisation that he had done the exact same thing._

_“Omegas are to be placed as last priority.” The nurse continued, placing a hand on his shoulder. “But this is different in the case of childbirth, or if you had informed the hospital of your admittance beforehand.”_

_“He’s dying.”_ He remembered saying slowly, disbelief seeping into his tone. _“And you place someone else who came after us into a room first, all because he is of a superior gender?”_

_The nurse had fidgeted at that, and the waiting patients around him were sending him mixed looks of pity and annoyance._

_“This is how it’s always been.”_

He had no idea what he would have done, if fate hadn’t sent him a saving grace at that very moment.

_“Our room is vacant.”_

_A girl was tugging at the sleeve of the nurse, sneaking quick glances at him. “I don’t need the bed, so he can have it.”_

_The nurse was taken aback, looking to the female Omega that had interrupted their conversation._

_“But you are not allowed to leave yet-”_

_“Does it matter?” The girl had cut in, rather impatiently. “He needs it more.”_

_His grandfather had been rushed to the empty room with whitewashed walls after that, and he had been instructed to seat in the waiting room._

_He felt jittery, unsure of how to express his gratitude, but the girl simply smiled at him in an understanding manner, seating herself opposite him._

_“It’s stupid, isn’t it?” She said, as an icebreaker of sorts. “They didn’t even bother to check the rooms.”_

_He felt the bitterness swell, revelling in the way his nails dug sharply into his palms._

_“It’s because he was old.” He snarled. “He was old, so they were alright with leaving him to die.”_

That hadn’t been the truth, and he had known that.

_The girl’s expression turned sad. “I can understand. We as Omegas deal with this a lot.”_

It was as if she could see right through him. 

_He looked away, eyes stinging oddly._

Knowing it, however, did not make it easier to admit to something he had been guilty of. 

_“It’s alright,” his grandfather had said, after it was all over. “It was your way of mourning.”_

 _He had doubled over then, planting his face in the hospital sheets as tears streamed down his cheeks. The emotions that he had buried away that day had been unearthed in just a few seconds, unsaid words clogging up his throat in a series of ugly sobs._

_“Don’t you dare leave me again.” He said, in lieu of the apologies that were long due._

_His grandfather had given him a fond smile. “Yurochka, I've always been here.”_

_He had bumped into the same Omega as he was leaving the hospital, noting the dark circles under her eyes._

_“Ah, we meet again!” She laughed, her bubbly personality coming through. “I’m just waiting for my friend.”_

_“It’s getting late.” He said, baffled by her loyalty._

_She had given him a smile, one that seemed more tired than anything. “You’re from Hasetsu High, right? I’ve seen you around.”_

_At his spluttering, she laughed._

_“I pride myself in reading people well, and you don’t seem like those Alpha bullies.” She said, smiling with her eyes. “Say, do you want to exchange numbers?”_

Maybe now- he could finally repay that debt, albeit towards someone else who had piqued his interest.

_“Yurio! Do you remember me? I have a favour to ask…”_

* * *

Yuuri thought that he had sneaked out in time, but he was wrong. 

The teacher that had caught him stepping out of the staffroom had been sharp, instructing him to go into the staff lounge immediately. He expected that he'd be admonished and probably questioned for sneaking into an unauthorised area without consent, and he had braced himself for the scolding- but it never came, and the teacher was looking at him in a way that he dreaded. 

“I could report this incident to the principal.” He said with a dirty smirk. “And you could be suspended for misbehaviour. But we wouldn’t want that, would we?”

Oh, Yuuri knew all too well where this was leading to. 

“Or I could report you for harassment.” Yuuri countered, holding his ground. “And you could be fired for misconduct.”

The teacher looked murderous, lips curling as he appraised the Omega before him. 

“You’ve got a smart mouth.” The teacher remarked, taking a step forward. Yuuri mimicked his motions unconsciously, stepping backward in tandem. 

“You’re that Omega aren’t you? The one that topped the cohort that one time.”

Yuuri narrowed his eyes, watching as the teacher kicked the door to the staff lounge shut behind him. It slammed, and he knew that his chances of escaping were next to nothing. 

“You’re smart.” The Alpha smirked, licking his lips. “So you should know what you need to do.”

“I don’t.” He retorted, and immediately felt a tinge of regret. 

The Alpha had raised his hand, delivering a blow to his head before he could think to dodge it. Yuuri had stumbled to the side, cradling his head with a hiss. He had been determined to stay standing, but a hand worked its grip around his head and forced him to his knees. 

Seeing an opening, he swung his arm out blindly. He was still slightly disorientated from the hit, but he managed to elbow the teacher solidly in his groin. The Alpha howled in pain, loosening his grip on his head- and Yuuri shook off his hand, bolting for the door. 

A snarl could be heard behind him, and he dearly hoped the door wasn’t jammed. Just as he had wrapped his fingers around the knob, the door had clicked open on its own. The wood barely grazed his nose as the door was flung open, and he held back a yelp when he was sent falling to the ground. 

Yuri was standing in the threshold, and his pupils were blown wide. The scent in the room was stifling, a combination of nervous pheromones and arousal, and even the normally headstrong Alpha at the door looked slightly overwhelmed. 

“W-what?” The blond had growled, eye twitching as he looked from the disheveled Omega on the floor to the Alpha at the other end of the room. “What’s going on?”

Yuuri was on his feet in a second, shouldering past him as he ran out of the room.

“Fuck." Yuri sneered. “How annoying.”

* * *

Yuuri had refused to turn back, running as fast as he could. He wasn’t much of a runner, but he could definitely run when the event called for it. The fear coursing through his nerves gave him the much-needed stamina, and he had ducked into the nearest toilet to hide from the Alpha.

He panted, trying to catch his breath as he leaned against the door of a cubicle. He wasn’t sure what the blond had wanted, but he was certain that any Alpha would only take advantage of him in his vulnerable state. 

So he waited till his heart had slowed, clutching at his shirt as he closed his eyes. Rational thought flooded back into his mind, and he felt the bile rise from the back of his throat. 

He had been so close, so close to being attacked again- and he could only appear strong for this long, for the sake of concealing his weakness in front of an Alpha.

Deep down he had been terrified, and it crushed him to admit to feeling this way every single time he was placed in a similar situation.

* * *

“Your scent made it too obvious.” 

Yuuri jumped, skittering backward at the voice. 

The blond Alpha scowled, folding his arms across his chest. “He didn’t come this way.”

The Omega was wary, stepping away from the Alpha who had been waiting for him outside of the restroom.

“What do you want?” Yuuri finally said, exasperation in his tone. “Why did you help me?”

Yuri closed his mouth, a troubled look crossing his angry features. “I was curious.”

“To see if I would fail? All for your sick amusement?”

“To see if a stupid Omega was willing to stand up for himself.” The blond said. “To see if he would try to change his grades.”

Anger surged forth, and his apprehension was quickly replaced with indignance. Yuuri crossed his arms, copying the other’s gesture almost mockingly. 

“Well, this stupid Omega at least tried.” Yuuri said slowly, bending to the side to meet the Alpha at eye-level. “Something most Alphas are unable to comprehend because they never had to work hard for anything.”

Yuri let out a warning growl. “Watch yourself, Piggy.” He scowled, exposing a fang as he spoke. “Or I’ll-”

“Or you’ll what?” Yuuri had cut in, despite knowing better than to provoke the other. “You don’t understand how hard I had to work to get here.”

He had gotten a little choked up at the end of his sentence, glancing away as emotions rose in his throat. “You don’t know how unfair it is.”

The blond was silent. He reached into his pocket, pulling out a key card between two fingers.

Yuuri had glanced up when the Alpha held the card up for him to see, and stumbled a little to catch it when the card was thrown at him.

“Wha-” He began, but Yuri waved at him dismissively.

“The school records are in the back room.”

Yuuri’s eyes widened in realisation, and he took a gander at the keys in his hands in disbelief.

Yuri rolled his eyes at his expression, placing his hands back into his pockets as he adopted a nonchalant pose. 

“You may be interested in them.” He said, turning away before Yuuri could reply. “I want to beat you at your best.”

* * *

Yuuri had waited till the sun had set, creeping into the staffroom again the very next day. 

The back room had unlocked easily with a tap of the card, and he held his breath as he slipped into the storage room. The air was filled with dust, and the room probably had no other purpose than to store documents and the examination scripts of the students. Instead of being graded internally, the scripts were to be sent off to the Ministry of Education, where they were properly graded by the board of examiners there. 

This process was only for major examinations, and the grades of the scripts for the coming exams would determine a major part of a student’s total score for the year. 

Yuuri checked the labels on the drawers of the cabinets, making a small noise of contentment when he had found what he was looking for. 

“Yearly reports.” He muttered under his breath, peering into the compartment that held several files. They were organised by their respective years, and oddly enough they didn’t seem as dusty as the other items present in the room. 

They looked ordinary, detailing a list of the cohort’s graduates with their overall scores. What bugged him, however, was the fact that the students were arranged based on their secondary genders. 

At first glance, it would be deemed as normality- it was necessary information of the candidate, just like how one’s name and national identification number were to be provided to the examiners before every major assessment. But it didn’t quite sit right with him, and while this tradition has been carried on for quite a few years since the inauguration of the current president, he felt unwilling to accept the idea that secondary genders alone were the determining factor for that many things. 

‘Just because I’m an Omega, doesn’t mean I can’t accomplish much in life.’ Yuuri had thought, frowning at the scores of the Omegas of the previous cohorts. They weren’t many, but there were far more Omegas two years back, before the Alpha-Omega Policy had been passed. Most had sub-par scores, nothing particularly impressive, and Yuuri felt his stomach sink lower as he scanned the documents. 

He tried not to let these statistics affect him, but the thought was there, a constant nagging at the back of his mind that he had tried to quash.

The top few for every batch of graduates were all Alphas, he had realised. No matter how well the students scored for the internal examinations, their grades would slip- and he knew, he knew that this was explained away with the general assumption that Omegas were weaker emotionally, and that most crumbled under the pressure of major assessments. 

It was nonsensical, he would think. He knew that he hadn’t been the best at handling his anxiety, but the lack of faith in him of just about anyone he met, coupled with the structure of the system, ensured that he was reminded of his perceived incapability at every corner. Most Omegas would have been hard pressed to give up even before they tried, while he had been stubbornly pushing through the entire while.

There was a definite difference between being obstinate and foolhardy, and currently his confidence in the former was shaken. 

Flipping through the files proved to be unrewarding, detailing nothing else but the scores of the students through the years. 

“You won’t find anything else there.” 

He had turned, caught like a deer in the headlights in a situation that he had no excuses for. 

The blond scoffed at his reaction, moving away from the doorframe he had been leaning against. 

“How did you.” Yuuri gasped, turning out his pockets to check if he still possessed the key card. “How did you-”

Yuri raised another card for him to see, one that was identical to the one he had been given earlier on. 

“It’s a spare.” The Alpha scowled, replacing the card in the pocket of his hoodie. “And you’re extremely careless.”

Yuuri visibly wilted then, lowering his gaze. He hadn’t been cautious enough to notice when Yuri had entered- and while he could chalk it up to being too engrossed in his doings, there was still no excuses for his mistake. 

“It’s as if you were asking for it.”

Something snapped within him at those words. Yuuri stood, matching the other’s gaze with his own heated one. 

“How dare you.” Yuuri glared, fists clenching by his sides. “How dare you suggest that it was my fault for almost being sexually assaulted.”

Yuri watched him for a few seconds before a small grin broke out on his face, a sardonic twitch at the corner of his mouth. “Looks like you have some balls after all.”

“What is your purpose?” Yuuri said, with more venom than he had intended. “A quick fuck?”

“No.” The Alpha snapped, and the smirk was wiped off his face in a second. “Calm your shit piggy, I’m not here to aggravate you.”

Yuuri frowned. “That’s debatable.”

The blond brushed off the comment, shutting the door behind him. Yuuri moved to the side when he strode to the only desk in the room, turning the computer on. “Whatever, continue your whining and we’ll both get in trouble.”

His curiosity mollified him, and Yuuri held back the retort at the tip of his tongue.

“What are you doing?” He asked, but the blond did not reply. Squinting at the bright screen, he opted to move closer, though with a cautiousness that stemmed from his distrust.

The Alpha was scrolling through a myriad of folders, finger deftly flying across the keyboard as he searched for what he was looking for. 

“You hacked it,” Yuuri said, voice lilting in wonder. 

“No, because I know the numerous passwords securing these important documents.” The Alpha replied slowly. “Of course I hacked it.”

Yuuri felt a ghost of a smile at the sarcastic jab. “I don’t know, but seeing as you have these key cards, it is questionable.”

“Don’t associate me with the educators here,” Yuri said curtly. “I only have the cards because the teachers like me.”

“That doesn’t explain why-”

“They have shown favouritism towards me.” The blond said flatly, never once looking away from the computer screen. “You’d be surprised to know how much gender identities matter to them.”

Yuuri leaned closer, watching the other hack into a document with an ease that came with experience. “Believe me,” he muttered. “I do.”

The Alpha shrugged. He rolled over to the side in the computer chair, allowing the Omega to better see the screen. 

On it was the raw marks of each paper the previous batch of students had taken, computerised to give their final scores. These marks had been inputted into the system right after the papers had been returned to the school. They were untampered with, being the most accurate breakdown of the student's marks- as these records were to be sent back to the Ministry for proper evaluation. 

A quick look was all the Omega had needed, and he turned to the Alpha with wide eyes, jaw falling as he realised exactly what he had been alluding to. 

“I had my suspicions.” Yuri said, closing the display window. 

“Wait, wait!” Yuuri spluttered. “Shouldn’t we publicize this?”

He scoffed. “I have no intention of playing hero, piggy.”

“Then why?” Yuuri said, creases appearing on his forehead. “Why would you show me this?”

The blond flicked the switches. The screen turned black, erasing all traces of the fraudulent act. 

“Let’s play a game.” 

He swiveled around in his chair to face him, leaning against the backrest. 

“The finals will be in a month’s time, and we’ll check our scores here then.” The Alpha smirked. “We’ll compete with our scores. Catch my drift?”

The Omega raised a brow. “Is this all you really wanted?” He said instead, the gears turning in his head. “Gloating rights?”

“What would you want?” The Alpha shot back. “What do you want?”

Yuuri understood then. The Alpha was giving him a chance, though it was well-disguised as a jab at their long-term rivalry. 

Yuri was staring at him expectantly, and the Omega inhaled sharply before he spoke.

“I want you to help me.” Yuuri said decisively. “If I beat you, I want you to help me expose their practices.”

Yuri nodded. 

“If you even do beat me,” he said smugly. “It wouldn’t be easy.”

* * *

_Two months later..._

“A warm welcome to our top student… Yuri Plisetsky!”

The applause was thunderous, reverberating around the hall in a deafening roar.

The blond had stepped onto the stage, short hair framing his face as he gave an appreciative nod. Taking a step onto the podium, he took the microphone into his hands gingerly.

“I’d like to take a moment on behalf of myself and my fellow graduates to thank the people that have brought us here.” He began, hearing soft murmurs of approval. “I’d like to take a moment to remember our classmates and teachers who are not with us today.”

It was the standard procedure of giving a speech.

“I never expected that I would be able to achieve what I had always wanted.” Yuri paused, glancing at the rows of students seated before him. “I never expected that I would be standing here today, as the valedictorian of our cohort.”

A scatter of good-natured chuckles, and the audience stirred slightly as they waited for the delivery of an inspiring speech. 

“I was not wrong.”

The silence that followed was heavy, and any chatter from before died off quickly. 

The Alpha took a deep breath. “I was not wrong, and I shouldn’t be standing here today.”

The hall broke out in murmurs after a beat, and he refused to look at the staff that was seated at the back of the hall, refused to acknowledge their stares and their gobsmacked expressions. 

“The person who should be standing here has scored exactly twenty-two points higher than me.” 

Several staff rose to their feet, while some had taken to glancing about in confusion. 

“But he was not asked to represent us, because the results given to him were far below what he should have rightly gotten.” Yuri gritted out, as if the admittance physically pained him. “And as much as I hate to lose, I hate to accept something that I do not deserve even more.”

The seated graduates began to look about searchingly, and some even began to voice their discontent at being fooled. 

Only then did Yuri direct his stare at the faculty, allowing the other students to follow his gaze. “...they should know who he is.”

“Who is he?” Someone shouted with a distinctly Alpha undertone, unnerving the Betas and Omegas seated at the very last of the rows. It caused quite a commotion, and several Alphas began to stand at their seats. “Is this a prank?”

“Are my scores faulty too?” Another Alpha piped up, looking furious. Several voices echoed in agreement, and it became unclear who was speaking, for some Betas had begun voicing their doubts as well. 

“That’ll explain so much!”

“Is this a prank?”

The vice-principal had marched to the stage, taking the microphone from the blond Alpha. 

“Everyone, settle down.”

But the students were becoming rowdier by the second, and soon the whole hall was a din of unhappy complaints. 

“Silence!” 

A hush settled over the crowd, and the authoritative Alpha clicked her tongue. “This is ridiculous. The scores are accurate, and this whole fuss is unnecessary.” She hissed with a stern glare. “Yuri Plisetsky, you are-”

“I beg to differ.”

All heads turned to the person who had dared to speak out against her, and the hall had gone eerily quiet. 

A lone Omega was standing at his seat, suppressing the sudden flare of anxiety when the attention was turned on him. 

“I have evidence that you have been tweaking the student’s scores.” He said, keeping his voice as steady as possible. “You’ve been trying to repress Omegas and Betas for years.”

He raised a file with a shaky arm. “You’ve intentionally lowered my score so that no Omega would represent this school.”

“Why would we ever do that?” The vice-principal said. “We place the student’s well-being above all else, and the records are that way for a reason.”

“What reason?” Yuuri countered. “To preserve the reputation of this school, and ensure that the government funds the school a plentiful amount every year?”

The slight widening of the vice- principal's eyes was all the answer that he needed, and it gave him the confidence to continue. “I have the actual results of the papers we have taken, along with the breakdown of the scores.” 

“Impossible.” A staff spoke, and Yuuri recognised him as his form teacher that had taught him that year. “He’s lying. He has no way of accessing these documents.”

“That’s right.” The vice principal snapped, in a show of unprofessionalism. “You’ve simply doctored the reports to show falsified information.”

“That-”

“That’s the end of it.” The vice principal cut him off. “Let us proceed with the ceremony.”

“I won’t continue this lie.” The blond spat, when the microphone had been passed back to him. He gestured to Yuuri pointedly, scowling at the older Alpha beside him. “He deserves the truth.”

Her eye twitched. She had snatched the microphone out of his grasp, placing it on the podium.

“Why would you help him?” She muttered dangerously. “Why would you help an Omega, when you should be satisfied with what we have given you?”

“Because I lost.” Yuri growled. “I lost to him, fair and square, and he deserves to be acknowledged.”

The Alpha gaped at him, and the blond started to walk down the stage. “I’m done here.”

“They have heard enough to pass their own judgment.” Yuuri added, meeting the glare of the Alpha on the stage. “And I have enough proof here to protect my statement.”

At his words, the audience erupted in a buzz of activity. 

“Bring him here.” The vice-principal demanded. “We will examine the file properly.”

Yuuri had flinched, half-expecting the students around him to push him out of his seat- but they simply turned to regard him with curiosity, turning over the papers in his hand. Several ex-councillors had stood, but quickly grew hesitant when the students surrounded the Omega in an impenetrable circle. 

“Take the file from him!” 

Shockingly, the rest of the Alphas in the hall made no move to do her bidding. They simply sat, some more stunned than the rest- watching the scene that unfolded before them. 

Gasps resounded from the few Omegas who sat near him, and some Betas had left their seats to have a better look at the records in his hands.

“Shit, I can’t believe this.”

“I… actually didn’t fail this paper!”

“Does the school think that the Alphas are so incapable that they need to resort to this?”

At the last statement, the rest of the Alpha graduates began to stand from their seats. Much to Yuuri’s horror, they began to approach him as well, shoving away the tearful Omegas that had planted themselves around him. 

“Oh my god.” A female Alpha exclaimed, taking the scoresheet from his hands. “My results suck!”

The students lurched forward with a new wave of energy. Yuuri took the chance to sink into the maze of bodies, leaving the file behind in the hands of the indignant graduates. 

“I knew there was something weird with the marks I’ve gotten.”

“Fucking hell, this is going online.”

The staff had dispersed with a nervous energy, attempting to calm the crowd- but they couldn’t do much, for the students began to fire questions at the teachers. Eventually they had given up, too overwhelmed with the rowdiness of the graduates to do anything at all. 

The ceremony was cancelled right after, and Yuuri had slipped out of the group before the principal could pull him in for questioning. It was relatively easy and he had ducked, meandering to the exit through the sea of people. 

“Where’s that Omega?”

“The teachers are looking for him- what’s his name again?”

“Katsuki Yuuri… he was in my class.”

Yuuri winced, painfully aware that he was being hunted down by the faculty. He was most definitely in trouble for disrupting the ceremony, and they’d call his parents in for his supposed act of ‘propagating mistruths’.

He’d tell it to his parents firsthand, rather than have them hear it from the school.

“Oh, he’s the Omega who topped the cohort last year!”

While they’d call up his family in the event that they failed to detain him now- it was far better than being confronted by the several administrative staff of the school- which were mostly Alphas.They would most likely try to intimidate him into taking back his words, and that would crush his plans. 

As clumsy as he was, Yuuri had tripped over someone in his haste to leave, falling to the floor with a groan.

“It’s him!” 

He scrambled to his feet immediately, but a hand had latched onto his forearm before he could move forward. A brunette had him held in a firm grip, and the rest of the students had quickly given them a wide berth. 

“Let him go!” Came a bark, and a Beta had stepped forward with a scowl. A second later saw five more Betas emerge from the crowd, along with three other Omegas. 

“Alpha scum.” An Omega said in a sudden rush of bravery, and the Betas began advancing on the Alpha that was holding him still. 

“He’s disparaging us.” The brunette hissed back, and the Omegas quivered. “Can’t you see that he’s lying? He obviously has a personal vendetta against us Alphas.”

“The teachers will settle this properly.” Another Alpha said calmly. “If he’s telling the truth, he shouldn’t be afraid.”

“Do you actually think that they would listen to him?” A Beta snapped. “You’ve obviously not seen the way the teachers treat any other secondary gender.”

A female Omega scrunched up her nose. “That's right, you Alphas are really deluded.” 

The teachers were making their way to him, and Yuuri’s heart leaped to his throat. 

“I’m sorry.” He said, kicking the brunette in the side swiftly. It had been hard enough to send the Alpha doubling over, and Yuuri tore himself free.

Surprisingly, the watching graduates had moved out of his way, paving a clear path for him to the exit. So he ran, grateful that he had not been met with any other resistance, closing the door to the hall once he had made it.

“Piggy?” 

The blond that had been creeping around the stairway paused, visibly surprised at the sight of the Omega. 

“Why are you here?” Yuri said slowly. “Shouldn’t you be confronting the principal?”

Yuuri leaned against a wall, face flushed. “That’ll be useless.”

“What? Then what’s the point in all that?”

“You’ll see.” The Omega replied tiredly. He gave the Alpha a small smile, rubbing the back of his head. “Yurio… I need to thank you.”

“Huh?” The Alpha shouted, and Yuuri prayed that his voice hadn’t alerted the people in the hall of his current location. 

“Yuuko told me everything not long ago,” Yuuri murmured, and the Alpha turned beet red. “Thank you for not going back on your word, Yurio.”

The Alpha looked downright stupefied, and Yuuri chuckled. 

“Right, let’s get out of here Yur-”

“Call me that again and I will throw you back into the hall, piggy.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The graduates certainly have different reactions towards... Yuuri's revelation. This chapter is probably quite a fair bit to take in, but I certainly did not want to make it shorter by leaving it on a cliffhanger. The actual impacts of Yuuri's actions would be known the next chapter, though you're welcome to guess. ;w; 
> 
> Alike canon, I'd like to imagine that Yurio was close to Yuuko. His flashback took place around the time when Yuuri had hurt his eyes in the hospital- and that is when they met! Two separate events, a single timeline- this is just to clear any confusion with the switch in narrator at the very start of this chapter.


	5. Learning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Ahh... this chapter took longer than I thought and turned out longer than I expected)  
> Sorry for the false update earlier. AO3 was messing with me and I couldn't upload the new chapter properly, so I gave up for the time being ;w; ...But here it is now!

**High school food fight turns into violent 'gender riot' leaving thirty-three students and two members of staff hospitalized**

**By Stéphane Lanbiel, BBV**  
 **Updated 0616 JST December 7, ******

More than 360 High School students in Japan were suspended last week for causing damage to school property. 

What started out as a squabble in Yokosuka High School ended in a massive brawl involving hundreds of students and police officers wielding canisters of Mace. Yokosuka High School was placed on lockdown shortly before 10 a.m. Friday after violence broke out during third-period lunch inside the cafeteria between two groups of students.

The fight involved 200-300 students and lasted about 20 minutes, leaving thirty-three people injured. Teaching continued as usual during the lockdown, but students had to remain in their classrooms.

Police said no weapons were used in the altercation, and the teens' unspecified injuries were not related to the fight. A dozen people also complained of suffering from side effects related to the chemical agent sprayed by police. They were treated on the scene for Mace inhalation. 

Student Leo de la Iglesia told Japan Today that the fight escalated into a 'big riot' over secondary gender hostilities that have long been bubbling under the surface. 

“Tensions were high after the release of our results.” The 18-year-old Beta said. “Some Alpha students were poking fun at us for our scores, and my friends reacted to it badly.”

The student later admitted that the animosity was sparked by a trending video on Yootube. 

“There was a lot of heated debate online,” he said. "People were bashing on each other. It was scary but amazing at the same time."

Read more: High school food fight turns into violent 'gender riot' leaving thirty-three students and two members of staff hospitalized  
Follow us: @BBV on Tvitter | Fakebook

* * *

**School Protests: High School students riot over alleged doctored grades**

**By Yazuru Hanyu, JNN**  
 **Updated 1814 JST December 10, ******

(JNN) - Following the revelation made by a graduate last Tuesday, netizens all over Japan have engaged in heated debates over the unfairness of the grading system. It is suspected that this series of events was incited by uploads from various students at Hasetsu High School, according to reporter Hisashi Morooka.

In a video posted to YooTube, which garnered thousands of views and has since been deleted, a student is seen claiming to possess evidence of the school’s fraudulent acts. The student, who has yet to be named, claimed that the school had deliberately lowered the scores of graduates in a prejudiced move. 

Portions of the video have been posted on other social media outlets including Tvitter, raking in more than 1000 retweets and likes.

Students are responding on social media after protests over their results at a prestigious high school. Other schools in the country are seeing similar demonstrations. It all started with the protest by a group of young Omegas from Inagakuen High. 

A video posted on Instaram went viral, showing 16-year-old Kenjirou Minami and fellow schoolmates in a tense standoff with private security guards. The students can be heard yelling, with their hands in the air: "Let us excel."

"This is the work of a faulty system," he cried. "How could we sit back when there is a possibility that our school might be doing something similar?" 

The student is an active supporter of the numerous issues that were raised in the wake of the event last Tuesday. He expressed his admiration for the 18-year old student from Hasetsu High, stating that he had inspired him to make a stand. 

"Obviously, we Omegas are not getting the education that we need and deserve," he added. "We are currently raising as much awareness as we can. Please spread the word, for #62MillionOmegas!"

Ongoing investigations later that week revealed more shocking news. More than ten High Schools in Japan were found to have deliberately corrected their students' grades for 'more reputable' results. 

When interviewed, the principal of Hasetsu High School declined to comment. Other educators claimed that it was simply a negligence on the part of the administrative staff. 

"It was definitely not deliberate," the vice-principal of the school said. "It was all a misunderstanding." 

Read more: School Protests: High School students riot over alleged doctored grades  
Follow us: @JNN on Tvitter | Fakebook

* * *

“Yuuri, it happened again.”

He bit his lip, closing the open tabs on his phone. It was to be expected, he supposed, that the many unhappy Alphas condemning his actions would enact their displeasure on him.

Over the course of just a few days, the school had received an overwhelming amount of backlash for their actions. It would come as a shock to many, seeing as the community that should have been affected the most was small. Comprising of the Beta and Omega students who had been repressed all these years, they had little power, let alone much say in the scandal. But he- no, they had misjudged, for the very group that the system favoured turned against them in the most unexpected of ways. 

The new generation of Alpha children, most of whom had been mollycoddled at home were brought up with the understanding that they were meant to excel in any area, simply because they were that much better than everyone else. This easily established a foundation of unwavering confidence and pride in their young hearts, and the idea that they deserved just about all of their accomplishments. 

The possibility that they had achieved this excellence using any unjust means was completely out of the question, and the news took many, far too many by surprise. 

In a rush of indignance, and probably in an effort to nurse their wounded pride, several Alpha students had joined in the protests against the faulty system. Alongside the other students, they formed a formidable band in all schools islandwide, determined to get to the bottom of the accusation. 

With the amount of criticism the school received, they decided against pressing charges, for that would elicit an even more negative response from the general public. With tensions high, it was indeed in the best interest of the school to sweep this matter under the rug and hope it would pass. 

Despite the amount of support he had received online, he was made the subject of slander by just as many, if not more, for his supposed attempt at seeking attention. Of course, some had taken it into their own hands to ‘teach him a lesson’ per say, by enforcing their own brand of justice onto the very person that catalysed it all.

“Vicchan’s disappeared.”

For the third time that week, his dog had been wounded by ruffians. The first two times, the brown poodle had returned home with a limp in her step and several nasty bruises. They had been careful to keep her locked safely in the confines of his home after that, but that hadn’t stopped the perpetrators from luring her outside once they had let their guard down. 

“I’ll go find her.” Yuuri said, before his sister could leave the house in her search. “It’s me they want, so I’ll go face them.”

“Yuuri, that’s suicide.” Mari remarked, giving a disapproving frown. “Don’t be silly.”

He had snatched a jacket off the clothes rack by the door, draping it over his shoulders. 

“Yuuri!” 

Yuuri was pulled back, and his sister was glaring at him warningly. 

“Stay here.” Mari growled, more forcefully this time. “I mean it, Yuuri.”

His sister rarely used such an intimidating tone on him, and she was never one to use her nature to manipulate others. 

Yuuri had hesitated then, lowering his head. 

He knew that she was probably right. It was stupid to march out of the house in the middle of the night, and doing so would be like tying a neat bow on himself and walking straight into an Alpha’s den. 

“Fine.” Yuuri finally relented, kicking off his shoes. “I’ll stay.”

* * *

Suing the school was not an option, since all government schools enjoyed immunity from lawsuits. It’ll be more of a statement than any form of retaliation, as the school was already suffering from a tarnished reputation to date. 

With the many investigations that were launched due to the mounting dissent in other schools, it became apparent that the evidence he had procured was indeed authentic. The Internet, of course, blew up even more with the revelation. He had been caught in the crossfire of verbal spars online, and seeing numerous individuals supporting his cause lit a new fire within him. 

“I’m going to create a blog.” He told his friend one day, when she had sneaked out of her mate’s house to pay him a visit. “I’m going to unite those who share the same ideals as I do.”

Yuuko had been surprised. 

“But it’ll be taken down by the government in a few days.” She said, tilting her head. “They don’t tolerate such content.” 

Yuuri shook his head, giving her a sly grin. “Not if we find a way to dodge their censorship.”

It had taken more than just begging to convince the blond Alpha to help him once again. 

“I told you.” Yurio had snarled, and Yuuri held the phone away from his ear as the Alpha resumed his yammering. “I’m not going to fucking play hero.”

“But you have.” Yuuri replied, and received several explosive noises on the other end. 

“Look, I’m not going to help you again.” The Alpha said, with a low growl. “Once is more than enough.”

Yuuko had motioned for him to pass over her phone. “Yurio?”

There was a moment of silence before his voice came through again, though more mildly this time. “Yuuko.”

“Won’t you do this to help us?” Yuuko said, almost pleadingly. “Do think about it, at least.”

The reply was hesitant. "Can't you do it yourself?" 

"Yuuri's horrible at technology." The female Omega supplied, much to Yuuri's chagrin. "He can't do much by himself, so we were hoping that you could teach him."

Yuuri could hear the Alpha's sniggers from his spot across the room, and he tried to fight down his embarrassment, but to no avail. 

"He's morbidly red now, Yurio." 

Yuuri glanced accusingly at Yuuko, burying his face in his hands with a groan. He knew Yuuko was aiding him in convincing Yurio, but he should have expected that the only way to do so was to poke fun at him. That, or appeal to Yurio's sense of justice or empathy, both of which he was sure the blond was lacking. 

The Alpha gave a sinister laugh, and Yuuri took the phone from Yuuko, decidedly flustered. 

"So will you help us?" 

Yurio hummed, dragging out the moment as he appeared to deliberate over his options. "I don't know, piggy. What do _you_ want me to do?"

Yuuri sighed. If the Alpha wanted him to trash his own pride in order for him to teach him, he would, though begrudgingly. Yurio was probably still bitter over the entire ordeal of having lost to him before, anyway, and he'd rather resolve the grudge the Alpha had against him sooner than later. 

"I want you to teach me." 

"Want?" Yuuri could practically hear Yurio's smile over the phone. 

He shook his head in resignation. " _Will_ you teach me, Yurio?" 

The Alpha sniggered, and Yuuri decided that it was the most wicked sounding thing he has heard in quite a while. 

"Please?" He added, just for good measure really, he told himself. The Alpha was simple to read. 

"I'll think about it." Yurio finally said, sounding eerily like the cat that got the cream. 

Yuuri hung up the call after that, feeling oddly dissatisfied, and Yuuko giggled. 

"He's younger than you, Yuuri. Give it to him." 

* * *

Mari had offered to walk Yuuko back home, to which she gratefully accepted. 

“I’m sorry.” Mari said, giving her a sheepish smile. “It’s not very safe for you to be seen leaving our house alone, especially with the shitstorm Yuuri stirred.”

Yuuri’s face fell, and Yuuko had been quick to reassure him. 

“It’s nothing.” Yuuko gushed, shaking her head wildly. “Yuuri must be suffering plenty as well.”

“Yeah, the other day Vicchan was-”

“Mari.” Yuuri said suddenly. His sister had paused, eyes widening slightly at the use of her name. “Will you teach me how to defend myself?”

His sister looked surprised. “Well, I’m not very apt at it. But I do know someone who could teach you the basics.”

“I want to learn.” Yuuri pressed, looking away as his face coloured slightly. “I don’t want to keep relying on you.”

His sister gave him a knowing smile. “I think she might be quite surprised.”

* * *

“You want to learn _what_?”

Yuuri frowned. “Capoeira.”

His ex-tutor blinked at him owlishly. “You want to learn self-defense? What brought this on?”

Yuuri exhaled heavily, rubbing at his forearm. 

“I’m tired of being at the mercy of Alphas all the time,” he said. “I don’t want to keep relying on others.”

Minako set her cup of gin on the table, resting her chin against a palm contemplatively. 

Yuuri turned to the side, frowning. “Omegas are discouraged from taking up any form of self-defense. Community centres only conduct classes for Alphas or Betas, because they think that Omegas need not know how to fight.”

“That I know.” The Alpha replied, crossing her legs. “It’s silly, if you think about it.”

“I have two months before I have to apply for a university." Yuuri said slowly, gauging her reaction. "...so I want to dedicate that time to learning this.”

Minako raised a brow. “How serious are you, Yuuri?”

“I’m dead serious about this.” Yuuri insisted. “I know that it’s not easy, but now I know why you were so keen on pulling me into dance practices when I was young.”

“That’s right." Minako confirmed, reaching for another swig of her drink. "Capoeira combines elements of dance, acrobatics and music.” 

At Yuuri’s earnest look, the Alpha scoffed. 

“If you’re so sincere about learning it, prove it to me by getting yourself in shape first.”

It wasn’t easy. Yuuri had expected that, but nothing had prepared him for the amount of pain he was in just a few days later. He exercised at any available opportunity, waking up at the crack of dawn to run laps around the neighborhood. It was the safest interval of time for him to be out- right after most nightbirds had fallen asleep and before most denizens woke up for the morning rush. 

Other than those precious two hours, he had taken to doing various workouts in the safety of his home, scaring his family with his sudden rush of determination. But perhaps he had been too ambitious, for his body had given out on him on the fourth day. Minako had given him an earful when she found out about his training regime, stomping into his room with a banshee-like cry.

“Are you crazy?” She half-shrieked, watching the Omega squirm on his bed in a groaning, aching mess. “You don’t attempt such intensive routines when you hardly exercised before!”

Yuuri sat up, hissing in discomfort as he pulled a muscle. “You’re the one who said that I had to work hard.”

“With a gut your size, of course you have to!” His ex-tutor exclaimed. “But you have to work smart. Don’t expect to see results right off the bat, you numbskull!”

“I did ballet with you a few years ago-”

“And you expect to remain as flexible as you did back then?” The Alpha barked, and Yuuri pulled a pillow over his ears with another groan. “Since you overexerted yourself, you’ve to recuperate for a few days, at least. Learn to be patient, Yuuri!”

The Omega flopped back onto his bed, only to be yanked up again by his hands. He sucked in a breath, cracking open an eye to see the Alpha watching him with a concerned furrow of her brows. 

“I’m going to monitor you from now on.” Minako said sharply. “I don’t want you hurting yourself, not on my watch.”

* * *

The next few weeks flew by in a blink of an eye. In between daily exercising regimes that required an immense amount of self-discipline, Yuuri had forced himself to diet as well, the latter of which was more painful than anything else he had to sacrifice for his fitness. 

“Stop…”

His parents had stopped eating then, and his mother even placed down her chopsticks in concern. 

“Don’t mind him.” His sister would supply, lips drawn in a thin line. “He’s finally decided to lose weight.”

He would then slam his forehead against the kotatsu with a pained noise, suppressing the pangs of hunger. 

“Now, now.” His mother would say warmly, refilling his bowl with spoonfuls of his favourite dish. Oh, what a waste of a good bowl of Katsudon. “It’s not good to starve yourself nonetheless.”

It was truly a test of his self-control. Yuuri clenched his teeth, shaking his head firmly. 

“She’s right, though.” His sister would say, and Yuuri almost groaned in agony at her timely intervention. “If you’re still hungry, you should eat your fill.”

“I already did.” He would reply, voice strained. “And I am determined to lose this weight.”

* * *

“Alright.” Minako announced two weeks later, crossing her arms. “I’m going to teach you some basics, so listen up.”

“This.” She said, getting into position. The Alpha shifted to the side, moving her right arm up to block her face. “This is called Ginga.”

She repeated the move, exaggerating the parallel movement of her right leg. 

“As you raise an arm up to protect your face, you step to the side, ensuring that they are both on the same side of your body.” 

Yuuri raised his arm, mirroring her actions perfectly.

“Like this?”

“Right.” Minako grinned. “It’s the most basic move, so you’ll find yourself practicing it very often.”

“Now you need to incorporate movement.” 

The Alpha moved back and forth, alternating both legs in shoulder-width describing a triangular form. “You repeat the movements, see- but with the other leg and arm.”

Yuuri bit his lip, mimicking her movements to the best of his abilities. “I think I got it.”

“Not so fast.” The Alpha chuckled. “You need to practice this over and over until you achieve the fluidity I have.”

“Next is Balanca.”

The Alpha moved to the side in a large sweeping step, moving the other leg behind her body. 

“It’s normally practiced with Ginga, so you can combine these two movements.”

She repeated the motions of her arms in Ginga, raising an arm to protect her face with each step. 

“It’s a defensive move.” Yuuri spoke, watching the Alpha with wide eyes. 

“Not quite.” Minako replied. “It allows to watch your opponent while you maintain constant motion, and it’s the leading move to many hand strikes or kicks.”

She continued her demonstration, though with more speed and well-placed pauses. 

Yuuri frowned, attempting a messy copy of her movements. “I don’t really get this one.”

“Think of it as a combination of feint moves.” Minako said, pausing to watch the struggling Omega. “You’re trying to deceive your opponent. You’re trying to make it so they can’t track your next move.”

“Like this, no wait...”

The Alpha walked to his side, adjusting the position of his arms. “No, you’ve to remember to keep switching your arms each time you step back.”

Yuuri did as he was told, stumbling slightly as swung his other arm out. 

“Don’t cross your legs, Yuuri. When you move your leg back- yes keep it straight, make sure it is parallel to the leg bent in front.”

“My legs just cross naturally,” Yuuri frowned. “It’s hard to keep my balance like that.”

“That simply implies that you’re a greenhorn.” Minako growled. “Practice this series of movements till it comes easily to you. Until you can even do it in your sleep.”

He repeated the motions again, deep in thought as he went over her words in his head. Sweat was getting into his eyes, but he hadn’t noticed at all, too focused on getting the move right to worry about the dull pain in his muscles.

The Alpha watched on in silent approval from a corner of the room, occasionally stepping in to correct him when he made a fault. They continued like that for hours, and Minako had been reluctant to break his concentration when she noted that it was past her sleeping hour. 

“Yuuri.” She yawned, wiping away her tears with a sleeve. “Go to bed. We’ll continue this tomorrow.”

Yuuri snapped back to reality then, blinking blearily at the Alpha who had taken to leaning tiredly against the wall of the studio. 

“Huh.” Yuuri exclaimed once he had turned to the window. “It’s dark out?”

“You’ve been practicing for four hours, Yuuri.”

The Omega flushed. It was a refreshing splash of colour on his pallid pallor. “W-what? That long?”

“You’ve always had amazing stamina.” Minako drawled. “But for the hundredth time, don’t overexert yourself. You’ve already turned pale.”

“But I feel fine.”

Minako shook her head. “You won’t be saying that tomorrow. Be grateful that you haven’t experienced any dizzy spells yet.”

Yuuri groaned. “Why didn’t you stop me?”

"Because you were steadily improving." Minako replied easily. "And you seemed so engrossed that I didn't want to interrupt you." 

Yuuri took a shaky step forward, only to fall to the side when he was hit with a sudden wave of exhaustion. “Oh my god-”

“I told you.” The Alpha hissed, looking just the slightest bit guilty as she moved over to help him up. “Maybe I shouldn't have let you practice for so long.”

“Say.” Yuuri said drowsily, swiping an arm across his forehead. “Why didn’t you teach me this when I was younger?”

“Because you never asked.” The Alpha said, and her simple reply confused him greatly. “Because it’s useless teaching someone when they had no interest in learning it.”

Yuuri blinked. “But I didn’t even know you that you knew Capoeira, let alone the fact that you were willing to teach it.”

Minako sighed. “You’re sharp, Yuuri.” She helped him to his feet, holding him tightly as she led him out of the studio. “It’s late, so you’re staying the night here. I’ve already informed your mother.”

Yuuri nodded, turning to stare at the Alpha when they had arrived at a spare room. 

“You haven’t answered my question.” He said bluntly, vaguely aware that his exhaustion was to blame for his lack of tact. “It would have been so much easier if I started learning this from young.”

Minako pinched the bridge of her nose. “Yuuri, do you know the history of Capoeira?” 

“It was created by Omega slaves back in the day.” Yuuri said, glancing away. “That’s why I felt so compelled to learn it.”

Minako nodded. “It’s also been banned a few years back, so no one dared to practice it in public for a long time.”

“By the government.” The Omega muttered. “I’m well-read on it.”

“Unsurprisingly.” The Alpha said, giving a small smile. “That’s why I was reluctant to bring it up to you.” 

“You were worried that I might accidentally slip up in public.” Yuuri completed somberly. “You would only teach me when I was old enough not to act on my emotions rashly.” 

Minako flashed him a grin. “That’s right. You’re pretty smart, Yuuri.”

He sighed. “That makes so much more sense.”

The Alpha leaned in to ruffle his hair affectionately. She looked so jaded and fragile then, that he was struck with the sudden realisation that she had probably seen and knew far more than she had let on. 

Minako smiled at him fondly. “Keep up that attitude and you’ll go far in life, Yuuri.”

* * *

“Another rejection.” Yuuri murmured, ripping the mail in half and tossing it into the bin. 

He had tried applying for a few universities with his adjusted scores, only to be faced with rejection time and time again. Upon hearing of his name, they would turn him down as politely as possible- or in some cases, rather rudely, with a side of crass remarks on his ill-gotten fame. 

So he had tried for non-government owned universities, hoping that they were more willing to take him in. But even when they did show interest in reviewing his application, their expressions would turn sour the moment he mentioned his desired major. 

Applying for a course in political sciences was far more difficult than what Yuuri had expected. Even with his near perfect scores, he was turned down by the universities under the presumption that it was silly for an Omega to even try entering such a highly competitive course. Also considering the notion that most of these courses were Alpha-dominated, the interviewers found that they were doing him a favour by turning him down before he could even try. 

There was simply no way, they would say. No way that an Omega could even hope to emerge successful in the workforce, let alone in the governing body. ‘But,’ they would then say, ‘perhaps there would be a future for you in the service industry.’ 

He knew what they were implying, of most Omegas turning to nursing when they could not achieve their dreams. It was a job that paid well, and in the narrow scope of jobs available for Omegas, it was rather highly sought after. But he simply nodded, declined their offer as politely as he could and left. Deep down he was infuriated and bitter, but years of experience had taught him that feeling this way would do him no good, unless he could convert these emotions into inner strength. 

“Blog about it.” Minako had said during one of his workouts, donning a shrewd smile. “It’s an amazing way to relay information to the public, especially if you gain a large following.”

So he did exactly that. 

Initially, he started a blog on a free platform without Yurio's help. But within a week his content had been pulled down and his blog shut down by the hosts, and one needn't be a genius to figure out exactly why. Though all was not lost. Through this experience, he had learnt that many were interested in what he had to say, judging from the positive responses he had gotten from reaching out to netizens who had brazenly spoken up for him on social media sites. 

He had blogged about trivial things at first, accumulating followers who were genuinely curious about his life- and it helped, Yurio had said, that he had a natural flare for expressing his thoughts in a boldly satirical way. 

The blond was mildly impressed with his audacity, and perhaps that was what prompted him to voluntarily help him out when the platform simply refused to continue to host his blog further. 

“You’ll need to self-host your blog.” Yurio had said, snatching the mouse from his grasp. “That’ll stop any fuckers from messing with your content.”

Yuuri had raised a brow, retreating a little to give the Alpha space. “Um. I sorta know that, but I don’t know how to create one without it being scraped by the media censorship-”

“You don’t know shit.” The Alpha snapped, nudging Yuuri out of the chair. “Let me do it.”

So Yuuri had quietly acquiesced, pulling out another chair and settling himself beside the blond. Yurio had been around them long enough for the Omega to have gotten used to his scent, and he had learnt to detect subtle changes in it that corresponded to the Alpha’s fluctuating emotions.

It was vastly different from an Omega’s temperament, he had realised. His sister was an Alpha as well, but she concealed her scent most of the time for his sake, as did Minako. Picking up on these nuances was extremely useful for deflecting conflicts, especially when dealing with a short-fused Alpha like the blond. 

He was not spared from his sister’s teasing. 

“He’s a very attractive Alpha.” Mari had whispered, when Yurio came over with Yuuko for the very first time. After she had pulled him to the side and wiggled her eyebrows suggestively, Yuuri already knew to shut her out before she could speak. 

“He has a mate.” Yuuri said flatly. 

“Nope.” Mari grinned mischievously. “I know an unscented Alpha when I smell one.”

“Yeah, there are more Alphas than Omegas. So there’s bound to be Alphas who have exempted themselves from the scheme.” Yuuri replied dismissively. “I know about the Alpha-Omega policy.”

He was about to leave the room when his sister pulled him back by his shoulders, wearing a serious frown. “Yuuri, you know what I mean.” She said monotonously, glancing out of the room. 

A soft creak of the floorboards came from beyond the door, and Yuuri’s breath hitched in his throat. 

He turned to nod at his sister, pulling away from her hold. “I will be careful.” He said, in reply to her unsaid words. “Don’t worry.”

* * *

But the first time the blond had pulled something on him, he had been caught completely unaware. 

“Wow.” Yuuri said in awe as he peered over the blond’s shoulder. “You did it.”

Yurio snorted. “Of course I did.”

“Amazing.” He cooed nonetheless, leaning in too close for the Alpha’s comfort.

Yurio handed back the mouse to the Omega with a grunt, leaving him to redesign his blog. The older male was currently filling in the name of the web domain, eyes shining with wonder- and the Alpha was hit with a sudden urge to rile the other up. 

“I heard you were learning self-defense, piggy.”

Yuuri hummed in agreement. “Yeah. Though I just started, so I only know the basics of it.”

Yurio smirked. “Interesting.” 

“Why do you ask-wha!” 

He was knocked out of his chair before he could complete his sentence, hitting the parquet floor with a harsh thud. 

He had been too shocked to react, blinking at the Alpha who had kicked him cleanly out of his seat.

“Yurio, w-what?” Yuuri stuttered, letting out a gasp as he rolled to the side to avoid another well-aimed kick. “What are you doing!”

“Fight back.” 

Yuuri pulled himself off the floor, raven hair askew and clothes thick with dust from the floor. 

“What?” He cried, utterly confused. “Why- oh my god, Yurio stop!”

The blond reared back, and Yuuri scuttled to the side to narrowly avoid the punch. 

It was evident that he had no intention of stopping anytime soon, and the Omega was breathing heavily as the Alpha advanced on him again. 

The blond sneered. “Fight me, Omega.”

_Show me you can defend yourself._

Yuuri frowned. “Yurio, I don’t want to fight you.”

Yurio narrowed his eyes. That was the only warning he had gotten before the blond lunged towards him, sending them both toppling to the ground. His back ached, burning from the friction as he slid across the floor with nothing to cushion his fall. 

The Alpha towering above him was heavy, digging his forearm into his throat as he pinned him down. Yuuri almost choked on his own spit then, and the danger of near-suffocation snapped him back to his senses. 

“See, you can’t defend yourself.” The Alpha said, and the Omega beneath him twitched. “Do us all a favour and stop trying, piggy.”

Yuuri was overcome with frustration then, and it conjured up memories of his practice sessions. 

_"Woah!"_

 _The Omega hissed in pain from the floor, peering up at the Alpha who had knocked him off his feet. His legs throbbed, joints protesting from the numerous falls he had sustained in the past hour. But he had to get up again, try over and over until he got it right._

 _

Minako offered him a hand. "Too slow." She said, and Yuuri could tell that her patience was running thin. He bit his lip, revelling in the slight burst of pain. It served to distract him from the frustration he saw reflected in his ex-tutor's eyes, from his frustration, and of the disappointment that he knew was showing on his face. 

He reached up to take her hand, only to withdraw halfway. Minako blinked, tucking away a stray strand of hair that had slipped out of her loose bun. 

"Giving up already?" She said, exhaling softly. "So fast?" 

Yuuri clenched his fists, dragging his nails into the yoga mat beneath them. He shook his head, wavering just the slightest as he got up on his feet again. "Show me Negativa again." 

Minako raised a brow, lips twitching into a grin. "Alright, watch carefully." 

She got into Ginga position, locking eyes with the Omega. "Now remember that the name of this move, Negativa, stems from the intent of this move." 

Tucking one leg under her in a half-squat and supporting her body with one hand planted firmly on the mat, she extended the other leg forward slowly. "This is Negativa. To negate an incoming attack by lowering your body to the ground on one side. Remember to keep the other arm up to protect your face, like in Ginga." 

Yuuri grunted when he lowered himself to the ground, shaking as his legs threatened to give under his weight. 

Nothing did seem to escape her scrutiny, and Minako frowned at his overt discomfort. "Are your knees hurting?" 

Yuuri blinked once, shaking his head fervently. "I'm fine." 

"No, Yuuri." The Alpha pulled herself off the floor, placing a hand on her hip. "You have to be careful when attempting this move. You could easily blow your knees, or even worse." 

"I said I'm fine!" Yuuri growled throatily, glaring up at the Alpha. The silence that followed after was heavy, and his teacher looked vaguely startled. At the loudness of his own voice, he seemed to snap out of his stupor, expression softening as he stammered apologies. "I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-" 

"Wow." Minako said. "I've never seen that side of you before. Are you sure you're an Omega, Yuuri? Have you been lying?" 

Yuuri spluttered. "O-of course I am, I was just so focused on perfecting the move that uh, i-it was an accident." 

The Alpha was amused. "I can understand your frustration, Yuuri. But keep in mind that you can't rush the learning process." 

"I know, I just-" 

Minako clicked her tongue, silencing the Omega. "We'll do this another day. And no, no complaints- I can clearly tell that you've hurt your knees."

_

With renewed strength, Yuuri forced the arm away from his throat with a mighty push. He sat up suddenly, feeling the familiar pull of his abdominal muscles and the ache that followed- and Yurio had clammed up right away, readying himself for the punch that never came.

Yuuri hesitated, and the Alpha stared right back at him. 

“That’s it?” He asked, incredulous. “That’s all you’ve got?”

“I don’t want to fight you.” Yuuri repeated exasperatedly. “I won’t fight you.”

The Alpha growled. “We’ll see how Yuuko would do then.”

The blond was on his feet in a second, and Yuuri scrambled off the floor hastily. “Yurio, you can’t be serious-”

“Maybe she’ll put up a more decent fight compared to you.” 

“She can’t fight!”

Yurio scowled at him. “At least she has the balls to fucking try.”

Yuuri stiffened, arms tensing by his sides. 

“With your cowardice, you’ll always be the same. Who the fuck cares if you know some fancy martial arts? You don’t even have the courage to stand up to any Alpha.”

“You’re not just any Alpha!” Yuuri retorted, eyes blazing. “I know you!”

The blond smiled wryly. “Is that so? You’re confident that I wouldn’t turn against you?”

“That’s…” The Omega trailed off. “You wouldn’t do something like that.”

The Alpha raised a brow. “Maybe you should listen to your sister more, piggy.”

“So you were eavesdropping.” 

The Alpha shrugged. “Call it what you will.”

He beckoned for the Omega to come closer, but Yuuri stayed rooted to the spot. 

“You’re going to try punching me again.” The Omega said, unamused. “I’m not falling for that.”

Yurio gave him a snide smile. “Smart boy.” The Alpha cracked his knuckles, and the sound perturbed Yuuri more than it should have. “Let’s fulfill that prophecy, why don’t we?”

The Alpha swung at him before he could properly comprehend his words, and Yuuri reacted on instinct, dropping to the ground in a swift slide with a muffled gasp. His eyes widened, but he had no time to feel happy for his success at finally executing the move right. Yurio stumbled forward with a cuss, and Yuuri quickly twisted his body to the side to avoid being fallen on. 

After taking a moment to regain his balance, Yurio charged at him without another word, and Yuuri jumped to his feet, backing right into the dresser behind him. He jolted forward with a hiss when it dug painfully into his waist, and the Alpha wasted no time in tackling the Omega to the floor with a victorious cry. 

Yuuri bit back a groan, wincing inwardly when they fell back into the same position as previously. Though this time he was smarter, and he sat up abruptly, knocking the blond over and taking him by surprise. 

Now with their positions reversed, Yuuri made to climb off the blond after what he thought was a peaceful conclusion to their scruffle- but Yurio had lashed out with a punch before he could move off him, smirking when Yuuri raised an arm to reflexively block the hit. 

"Not bad." Yurio smirked, and Yuuri blinked at the unexpected compliment. The air of malice dispersed temporarily, and he had relaxed slightly- and was immediately caught off guard when he was shoved off forcefully. He dropped into a roll to brace his fall, standing up just in time to see Yurio rushing to him again with an arm reared back. 

This time he performed a Negativa again, dodging the punch completely, but winced at the dull ache in his knee when he bent a little off-centre. Struggling to make up for it, he twisted to the side, bringing his extended leg in a sweeping motion that collided with the Alpha's calves in a direct hit. 

Coupled with the momentum of his punch, the blow to his legs sent the blond to the floor in a cussing mess. Yuuri stood warily, carefully shifting his weight onto his uninjured leg. "Are you okay-" 

A hand shot up, latching around his wrist as he approached the Alpha, pulling him to the floor with a sharp tug. Yuuri flinched, turning his head to the side to see Yurio looking at him smugly. "You're rusty on your footwork." The blond said suddenly, breaking the silence. "But you're not bad, piggy." 

"That was all to test me?" Yuuri said, somewhat miffed. 

"What else?" Yurio fired back, and the Omega groaned. 

"I thought you were having a tantrum." 

Yurio blinked at him disbelievingly, face erupting in a pinkish hue moments later. "Y-you thought I was-" 

Yuuri laughed, turning over to lie on his back next to the blond. They stared at the ceiling of the room in for a good minute, basking in the silence. 

"Hey... why didn't anyone interrupt us when we were making such a ruckus?" 

Yuuri shrugged. "They probably thought you were just throwing a fit." 

Yurio turned red again, but for a different reason. "Of all the fucking-" 

"Yurio, no! Put down that lamp-!" 

* * *

Yuuri worried his lip, staring at the envelope sitting innocently on his desk. 

“I’ve heard the news.” Mari cried, bursting into his room. “You’ve finally received an acceptance letter!” 

Yuuri frowned. He knew that he should be elated, but something had been eating away at him the moment he had taken note of the university's name. 

“This university already rejected me once.” He said, going over the letter again. “This is the second reply they’ve sent.”

Mari snorted. “No big deal, they probably had a student pull out last-minute.”

“It doesn’t work like that.” Yuuri said. “This is fishy.”

His sister walked over to him, taking the letter from his hands. She inspected it for a moment, stroking her chin as she nodded sagely. 

“Congratulations! You have been selected for admission for the Fall **** semester at the International University of Japan.” She read aloud. “I see nothing weird about it.”

“It’s weird because I didn’t send in another application,” he mused. “I don’t know, but something feels off.”

“They might have reconsidered your initial one.” 

Yuuri paused. One of the interviewers was restraining himself from throwing his coffee at him the entire time, while the other quite frankly, looked like he couldn’t care less about hearing about his interested major. 

“That’s quite unlikely.” He said awkwardly. “They didn’t like me.”

“Well, only the narrow-minded would dare judge you for what you did.” His sister replied easily. She patted him on the shoulder, flashing him a warm smile. “You stirred up a shitstorm for sure, but you did what was right.”

“Yeah, and that’s also why so many Alphas are after my hide right now.” He deadpanned, placing the letter back into the envelope. 

His sister sighed. “Yuuri-”

“Though I did not expect any less.” Yuuri interjected, smiling slightly. “If I have enemies, it means that I’ve stood up for something, sometime in my life.”

His sister returned the grin. “This is exactly why I’m so proud of you, Yuuri.”

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so! The next chapter will be the start of the University!Arc, and the next few years of Yuuri's life will be incredibly important. We've not seen the government's reaction to Yuuri's actions, yet. Also, you might want to sit tight for the next few chapters- just... just a heads up. ;) Ifyoucatchmydrift
> 
> Just a note: I referred to some news articles to craft my own, and you won't believe the amount of research that went into learning about law and order because I had an entirely different plan for this chapter initially. Also! Capoeira! If you aren't familiar with it, it's described as being similar to L's fighting style in Death Note- if you've watched the series, that is. I chose it because of its origins and incorporation of dancing components (because Minako). It was fun to research on that, and I apologise for any inaccuracies.
> 
> I love hearing your thoughts!


	6. Hello, Anonymous

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuri meets some... friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is Yuuri's backstory and how he met him. **(Chapters 6-11)**
> 
>  
> 
> **Story Segments:**
> 
>  
> 
>  **1st segment:**  
>  Prologue (Chapters 1-5)  
> University Arc (We are here) (Chapters 6-11)
> 
> [Time skip] 
> 
> **2nd segment:** _(Middlegame)_  
>  Union Arc (Chapters14-20)  
> Uprising Arc
> 
>  **3rd segment:** _(Endgame)_  
>  1st Election Arc [Chapter: Checkmate]  
> 1st Re-Election Arc [Chapter: Stalemate]
> 
>  **4th segment:** _(Non-Zero-Sum Game)_  
>  2nd Re-Election Arc [Chapter: Modus Vivendi]  
>  **Finale**

It started with a message from an anonymous user. 

_23:45_

_Anon : I’ve been following your blog for quite some time now!!_

He didn’t like anons. Most of the messages he had received from anonymous users were hate mail or spam, and he had long gotten used to them. So he had closed the conversation, half unsure how to reply and the other half, a more sagacious part, warned him against conversing with people with unknown intentions. 

Yuuri raised a brow when the screen lit up again with another message, just a few seconds after he had placed his phone back onto his desk. 

_23:45_

_Anon : That popular video that was posted; that was you, wasn’t it?_

He had swiped the notification away, intent on brushing aside all distractions so he could finish going through his textbook. A sharp ding echoed through the room once more and he jumped, nearly dropping his pen. 

_23:46_

_Anon : !!! You are Katsuki Yuuri, right? Am I speaking to THE Katsuki Yuuri?_

Of course he was. The user was messaging him from his blog after all. Yuuri leaned over to inspect his phone, frowning slightly.

Wait a minute. The message wasn’t from his blog; in fact, it was sent through his account on the university’s private server. 

The sound of another notification resounded through the room, and Yuuri sighed heavily as he unlocked his phone. If the user was going to such lengths to annoy him, he would much rather block the anon now than later. He opened the chat again, biting on the tip of his thumb. 

_23:47_

_Anon : Oh,, you do know that this isn’t from your blog, right?_

Caught him red-handed. Yuuri migrated to his bed where the Internet reception was better. As his online status changed, several new messages bombarded his account all at once. 

_23:49_

_Anon : Omg, you’re finally online!!_

_Anon : I thought you blocked me, and I can assure you that I’m just a fan_

_Anon : of you. I hope we can become good friends!_

_23:50_

_Anon : I’m sorry if I seemed too persistent_

He’s had plenty of such messages, but none of them ever talked to him on the university’s portal. For obvious reasons: The government could easily track conversations on such sites. 

_23:51_

_You : What blog?_

_Anon : Your self-hosted blog of course!! The link has been spread around, though you cannot find it by using a web search!_

Yuuri knew that. His blog was that way for a reason, and while he knew it was virtually impossible to share his blog with only left-wing individuals, he could try to limit the number of haters by encouraging its propagation among online communities that supported his cause.

_23:51_

_You : I don’t like using the university portal._

If the anonymous user was as astute as they came off to be, they would know the repercussions of messaging him anywhere else other than his blog. He had to be careful with what he revealed in any other chat. 

_23:51_

_Anon : Ah, I apologise!! I was so excited to find out that we were in the same university that I forgot…_

_You : ...have I seen you around?_

It was most reasonable to assume that the user was a student at his university, after all. 

_23:52_

_Anon : No, but I have ^v^_

His fingers stilled, hovering over the keyboard.

_23:52_

_Anon : I’ve been watching you ever since the video was spread online!_

Yuuri’s gaze shifted to the door of his room, which he had kept locked and bolted securely. Since moving to the hostel, he had been harassed by several students. Most did it discreetly, while some approached him in person- but they were all the same, all Alphas, and all incredibly bitter with the fact that he managed to worm his way into the university. 

_23:53_

_Anon : I know you’ve not had it easy TAT_

It’s as if the anon had read his thoughts yet again. How creepy. 

_23:53_

_You : Who are you?_

He exposed his High School’s indiscretion in hopes that it would set the many graduates in the country thinking, and to send a message to oppressors of his sex. But he hadn’t expected it to blow out of proportion so much, so fast; that he found himself desperately trying to catch his breath. The speed of the Internet and how quickly a trending video blew up overnight was amazing, in the best and worst of ways. 

People came to know of his name overnight, people he didn’t even know, and he didn’t know how to handle all the attention. He had never been good at facing criticism; had never been the best at conducting himself when he was in the spotlight. But he was not daft, and he knew that he could very well take advantage of this unprecedented situation. So he played on his sudden popularity, played on the ills and redeeming qualities of the net, garnering more than a handful of avid supporters. 

_23:55_

_Anon : Ah, we went through this… I’m a fan!_

This user had been dodging his questions in a particularly slick fashion, and he didn’t like it.

_23:57_

_You : You’re not being very convincing._

_Anon : So cold! I just want to help you, Yuuri._

Yuuri paused, squinting through the glare of the phone screen in his dimly lit room. A message popped up right beneath the one he was currently scrutinizing, followed by another.

_23:57_

_Anon : You’re interested in becoming a politician, no?_

_Anon : I know quite a bit on it! I’d love to discuss political viewpoints with you!_

Now this was interesting, and it was definitely something he could work on. 

_23:58_

_You : Please message me somewhere else._

_Anon : Of course! Through your blog? But I’m sure you have tons of messages a day, and I don’t want to be pushed to the bottom TAT_

_You : I’m not giving you my personal number._

_Anon : I never asked for it! Will you give me the link to your blog, then?_

Yurio had helped him set up the blog, and one needed to attain the link as well as the password protecting it in order for one to access it. Before they had made the decision to make the site so private, the website was generating close to ten thousand hits a day and it had nearly gotten hacked several times. 

It was dangerous, the blond had said, that his blog was attracting that much attention. With such heavy web traffic, it was only a matter of time before it would attract unwanted attention from the government. 

_00:00_

_You : Didn’t you mention that you’ve been following it?_

The fact that there was someone else on the same campus messaging him at this time of night was rather disconcerting. 

_00:00_

_Anon : I discovered it on my friend’s account! _

_You : Why didn’t you ask your friend for the particulars?_

There was no immediate reply to the message he just sent, which wasn’t very surprising. He had his suspicions. It was the first time someone had tried to have him give the link voluntarily, and thanks to the added security feature, most of the commenters and visitors on his blog were people he had directly reached out to. 

_00:03_

_Anon : He didn’t want to share it with me uwu_

_You : ..._

Currently, the government didn’t see him as a threat, which was evident from their lukewarm response to his blog. He had noted that only tabloids and non-government owned newspapers published news of the fallout, and while the Internet was swarmed with information centering around the subject, he was sure that people who did not frequent the net would not know of this. 

Yuuri waited for a few more minutes, folding his arms beneath his head as he stared up at the ceiling. There was still no reply from the unknown sender, and he sighed, tucking the phone beneath his pillow. 

Then he reached under it for his phone after a moment of contemplation, re-entering the chat. Normally he wouldn’t say more than what was necessary, but this was different. He had created his blog with the hope that he could gather a substantial following, but he hadn’t voiced any of his views on political matters just yet. 

_00:08_

_You : Are you taking my major?_

He decided that he’d ease in on it, and taking a major in political sciences would build on his rudimentary knowledge on the topic. It would be wiser to know more about the circumstances and paint a full picture of the political situation, rather than jump the gun and slip up later. 

_00:10_

_Anon : Of course! I see you every day_

_Anon : Well... close to every day!_

Back to being creepy. 

Yuuri took off his glasses, placing it on the bedside table. Looks like he’d have to put off any more studying that night. Plopping onto his bed, he winced at the glare and lowered the brightness of his phone. 

_00:10_

_Anon : Am I keeping you up?_

_Anon : We have lectures tomorrow after all ^-^_

_You : Alright, I’ll speak to you then._

Turning off his phone, Yuuri placed it beside his pillow to charge. It was odd, but it stirred a warm feeling within him to know that there was someone in his lectures who actively reached out to him. Perhaps it was the peace of mind of knowing that he had a supporter, and with all that he had experienced in this first week of university, he needed it more than ever. 

A loud bang on his door nearly scared him out of his skin, and he groaned, burying deeper into his sheets. The hostel residents haven’t been very friendly to him, and that was putting it nicely. This was the fifth time this week. Now, he wasn’t one to start trouble, but he’s tired playing the victim. 

Yuuri pulled himself off the bed, running his fingers through his mussed up hair and pushing it out of his eyes. He unlatched the door, twisting the knob- only to pull back immediately, pressing his hand against his sweater to lessen the searing pain. The metal was hot. Someone had been holding a flame to it, and a lighter was his best guess. 

He tapped the knob cautiously, noting the slow burn at the tip of his fingers. Yeap, someone definitely did this knowing he may come after them after hitting his door so disruptively. 

He’d give them props for creativity, at least. 

Wrapping a part of his blanket around his hand, he pulled the door open, looking around the empty corridor. No one. Technically, all students were advised to stay in their rooms past midnight for their own safety. Though obviously, whoever pranked him had just left only moments ago, judging by how hot the knob was. 

Yuuri sighed, shutting the door behind him before shuffling to the toilet. His palm was reddish, extending to his fingers, and while it wasn’t supposed to hurt so badly, he had been slow to react and release burning metal, thanks to being half-asleep. 

He leaned against the toilet door, shouldering it open. 

“Woah!” 

Yuuri jumped in response, mirroring the shock on the other male’s face. The other student, a Beta- he could clearly tell, stumbled back with a gurgled noise, foaming around the toothbrush in his mouth. 

“Sorry.” Yuuri said quickly, moving to the sink beside him. The tepid water was cool against his inflamed skin, and he let out a sigh of relief as he bent over, holding his hand beneath the faucet for a good minute. 

“Huh. They got you, huh?” 

Yuuri peered up at the Beta, who was wiping his mouth with a towel slung over his shoulders. The other student looked at his hand sympathetically, then to him- and he knew he looked a mess, like he’d just rolled out of bed. 

“You’re Katsuki Yuuri, right?” The male continued, and he began to towel his hair as he appraised the Omega with soft brown eyes. “Your name has been tossed about quite a lot, mate.”

The Omega nodded, watching the Beta carefully. He showed no animosity, and Yuuri took comfort in the fact that he seemed like an ordinary lad that he could have a decent conversation with. 

“I’m Leo.” The guy said affably, offering him grin. “Pleased to finally meet the person behind all this.”

Yuuri turned off the tap, accepting the proffered handshake awkwardly after a moment of hesitance. 

“Nay, you don’t hafta be scared of me.” The Beta said, amusement dancing in his eyes as he tossed his towel into a bag. “I’m grateful for what you’ve done.”

“Most people aren’t.” Yuuri said, looking at his hand pointedly. The redness of his flesh lightened to a pinkish hue, and the pain had already ebbed away, leaving only a tingly sensation behind. 

“Yeah, my sister’s an Omega.” Leo said, turning over his hand. “You should put some salve on that, just to be safe. I have some in my room.”

“It’s alright.” Yuuri tried to protest, but the Beta shook his head, tugging him along. 

“It’s the least I can do.” Leo insisted, flashing him a smile. He packed up his shower caddy, and Yuuri paused at the doorway before following the Beta. 

“You know, my sister was in a real depressive slump for a long time.” 

Yuuri blinked at the back of the male in front of him. 

“She hated herself. Hated how people treated her, and how my parents always favoured me over her.” Leo gave him a sad smile over his shoulder. “And ye know, I couldn’t do anything about it. Things sucked, for a long time.”

The Beta stopped at a door, and Yuuri noted that it was about a five-minute walk from his own room. 

Leo waved him in, leaning over to flick on the lights. “Then the news of you and those protests came out, and it seemed like she became alive again.” 

“I didn’t do much.” Yuuri said, and the Beta laughed lightly. 

“You made her smile again, and that’s more than I could have ever asked for.” 

Yuuri felt a smile tug at his lips. “I’m glad,” he muttered. “It wasn’t all for naught.”

“Course not.”

Leo moved over to his bed to pull out a small med kit. It was then that Yuuri noticed that his roommate was awake as well, and was staring at them through the darkness of his side of the room.

“Hello.” He offered, and the roommate shut his book with a soft snap, taking him in with wide eyes. Then his roommate gave a strangled scream, and Yuuri recoiled in surprise, backing into the brunette.

“Oh my god not again.” Leo groaned. He tossed a tube at Yuuri, rushing over to hold his roommate down. “Georgi please.”

Yuuri uncapped the tube, murmuring his gratitude as he moved a few feet away. 

“Sorry.” Leo said, grimacing as Georgi began sobbing loudly. “He just broke up. His ex was an Omega, and she dropped him pretty badly.”

Yuuri tilted his head, setting aside the medication after he squeezed some onto his palm. “There shouldn’t be any Omegas free.” He said slowly, watching his words. “With the Act, all Omegas should be rightly attached to an Alpha.”

Leo shrugged, and his roommate let out a sharp wail. “You’re right. I didn’t think too much into that.”

Yuuri began spreading the salve on his palm, humming thoughtfully. “Also, there’s only three Omegas in this entire university, and none in this faculty."

“That can't be.” The raven Beta moaned, sniffing in grief. “She studied liberal arts. She was with me all through High School, until y-yesterday, s-she-”

“She broke with you for an Alpha.” Leo said, sighing. “She’s a bitch, Georgi.”

“She was an amazing woman, and she was my princess-”

“She can’t have been an Omega.” 

The two in the room turned to Yuuri, and the Omega had seated himself on the floor, nursing his burn. 

“Of course she was.” Leo said, and Georgi sank back into his bed with a sorrowful crow. “She was known for it.”

“It’s extremely difficult for Omegas to enter any university.” Yuuri explained, but he faltered at their doubtful expressions. “And to not be attached to an Alpha…”

“She could’ve been cheating-” Leo began to say, and immediately regretted his words when the raven Beta rose from his bed like the undead. 

“My Anya won’t do something so vile!” He howled, and Yuuri winced. “She’s not like that!”

The pale-faced Beta shifted, knocking an item to the floor. Leo turned to the source of the noise, letting out a small gasp. He plucked it off the floor before his roommate could retrieve it, examining the label.

“I- Georgi, why do you have this?” Leo gaped, and Georgi winced in guilt. “W-were you eating these?”

At a closer look, the Beta looked terrible. He had alabaster skin, and his eyes seemed sunken in, cushioned with eyebags the size of half-craters. It was hard to tell in the lighting, but he was convinced that the man was either gravely ill or wearing gothic makeup. 

The Beta snatched the bottle from Leo’s grasp with a sudden lunge, eyeing the brunette accusingly. “I-It’s mine..."

“Is he okay?” Yuuri breathed, watching them tensely. 

Leo shook his head. “He’s always like that. I usually leave him alone, but…”

“Anya wanted me to have this.” Georgi growled, and the sound was so guttural that Yuuri’s stomach clenched at the familiarity. “You won’t understand.”

“What…” Yuuri muttered, suppressing a shudder. “Are you an Alpha?”

Leo quirked a brow at him. “Georgi here is a Beta like me. They only allow same sec genders to room together, man.”

Yuuri frowned. He knew that, and that was also the reason why he had been presented with one whole room for himself. Each faculty had their own dorm, and since he was the only Omega he was fortunate enough to be granted his own. Unfortunately, it also meant that everyone knew exactly which room he stayed in.

“Yuuri? Hey, don’t zone out.” Leo chuckled uncomfortably. “Georgi’s creepy as hell sometimes yeah, but he means no harm.”

Yuuri blinked. “No, that’s not it.” He moved towards the Beta, but thought twice when Georgi pushed himself against the wall with another growl. “...something doesn’t feel right with him.”

Leo scratched the back of his head. “Yeah, I guess you Omegas may be more sensitive with these things.”

Yuuri scrunched up his nose. It’s subtle, but he was sure that he had gotten a heady whiff of a scent that was synonymous with an Alpha. Betas weren't as sensitive to scents as Alphas and Omegas, and upon seeing the bottle, he had his suspicions. Though, he wouldn't discount their words just yet. 

“Yeah.” Yuuri said, eyeing the Beta. “You’re right. I’m probably just tired.”

Leo saw him out of the room, handing the tube of salve to him before he left. 

“For future use.” He said, in reply to Yuuri’s questioning look. “You might need it more.”

Yuuri had flushed, gratitude swelling in his chest as bowed twice, thanking his newly acquainted friend. 

“As I said, it’s the least I can do.” The brunette laughed. “If you ever need me, I’ll be here.”

* * *

#62MillionOmegas was trending.

_09:10_

_ireallylikedonuts : Yuuri! Look at what's trending! :D (read more)_

_09:42_

_Tanaka98 : OMG it's literally EVERYWHERE #62MillionOmegas _

_10:16_

_Equalityplox : Finally, someone who decides to do something about the inequality... (read more)_

_(52 more messages)_

Yuuri scrolled through his feed, noting that almost every post on his dash used the tag. It was good that he wasn't trending anymore, he supposed. But this new Internet phenomenon- he wasn't even clear who started it- began circulating around sometime during the High School protests, and was used to address the unfairness of the education system against his sex. 

_13:22_

_Anon : Yuuri~ Do you know what's been trending?_

It would seem that even other countries expressed disapproval towards the issue, and this spurred people to dig deeper for the root cause.

It was obvious- at least to those who bothered to analyse it enough. Omegas weren't encouraged to pursue education. They were held back by their mates, and the amount of criticism directed at the government for passing the law in the first place was astounding. "The Breeding Act", also known as the Alpha-Omega Act in more colloquial terms, matched Omegas with suitable Alpha mates at a young age. And it was the very law he had broken, and was why he had remained unmated and unscented to this day. 

Yuuri was eternally grateful for that. He would've been brainwashed- no doubt about it, if he had been forced to stay with an Alpha at such a young age. He would lose his will to fight for his rights, growing up to be the submissive Omega that the government strived to mold him into.

_13:24_

_Anon : You started all of this. How amazing!! uwu_

Yet there were plenty who justified the government's course of actions. The population was experiencing a rapid decline, and the Japanese government desperately needed a solution. 

He had blogged about the policy that had grated on his nerves the most. The unknown user had been quick to jump on the band wagon, and messaging them on his blog had become a daily affair. He hadn't thought much of it, deducing that the user had finally gotten the link and password to his blog on their own accord.

_13:24_

_You : The government need not resort to the Alpha-Omega policy right off the bat, I feel. They could have turned to pro-natalist policies._

_Anon : Ah, but would that have worked? Since Omegas were reluctant to get with Alphas in the first place... it would have been useless in that regard._

_13:25_

_You : We should examine exactly why such a trend was sparked. Why would one go against their natural instinct? _

_Anon : Because the new generation is filled with radical ideas. To break the convention, to be free to live their life the way they want to- it doesn't seem all that far-fetched now, does it_

_You : It's because Omegas are constantly feeling oppressed by society. Having an Alpha mate- they tend to abuse their power because of how much we as a society glorify them, was worse than going against their instincts._

_13:26_

_Anon : So, you're saying the Alphas are at fault?_

Yuuri paused.

_13:26_

_You : Partially, yes- if they continue to act this way despite knowing the circumstances of Omegas. But they are not completely to blame. The history of how Japan treated the different secondary genders is also an important factor in influencing their behaviour._

_Anon : I see, what an interesting perspective!_

_13:28_

_You : Well, you did mention that you were supportive of what I did. Why?_

_Anon : I had no idea that the education system was wired such that Omegas were oppressed to this extent! _

_13:29_

_You : Actually, it wasn't exactly the education system's fault, per say. It was very remiss of the Ministry to turn a blind eye to the amendments in the grades when it was returned to them by the school for evaluation. They should have recorded the grades before the scripts were sent back to the school, or they could have even computed it themselves... _

_You : Though that doesn't rule out the possibility of the Ministry being corrupt in the first place, so that may have made little difference._

_13:30_

_Anon : Wow... But several educators working in the Ministry resigned after the news came out because the blame was also directed at them _

_Anon : How sad!! They must have been victims of the entire ordeal_

_Anon : Maybe they weren't at fault. The school was to blame for all of this;;_

_13:32_

_You : Actually, the government might have had the grades computed in such an indirect way to protect themselves should the truth come to light..._

_Anon : Oh? Why do you think so?_

_You : They knew that schools would try to amend the grades themselves, so it was like passing the dirty work to someone else._

_You : They were so sure it would work as they funded government schools based on the success of the graduates in the workforce_

_You : It's easy for the school to do the math themselves._

_13:37_

_Anon : Hmm... what a brazen accusation!_

Yuuri clicked his tongue, tucking his phone back into his pocket. Debating with the anonymous user on such topics was a good way to pass time, but he couldn't help but feel that the user was subtly defending the government. 

Though his behaviour could be explained with the fact that he was trying to provoke deeper thought as well, and it was in no way supporting any side. He was probably reading too much into it.

As Yuuri was exiting the lecture theatre, he was pushed to the side roughly. He let out a noise of surprise, sending his books sliding across the linoleum floor as he reached about wildly for support. 

"Watch where you're going." An Alpha snarled, giving him another shove for good measure. "Don't act so cocky, Katsuki."

Yuuri didn't even bump into him. But he simply moved to the side, allowing the Alpha to pass without kicking up a fuss. 

It was better not to retaliate. It was easier to get people on his side, and he knew that those who supported him were mostly soft-spoken, or at least wise enough to know that they were already at a disadvantage in a fight against an Alpha.

"Pick on someone your own size."

The Alpha stopped in his tracks, and Yuuri could feel the slow sizzle of hostility in the air as he turned about, looking for the person who had dared to speak. 

"You heard me, Nicholas."

A black-haired student pushed through the crowd of students blocking the theatre doors, and he was followed closely by another student- Leo- the brunette he met last night, he realised. Yuuri recognised the former from his lectures, being a rather popular Beta with a strong social media presence. 

"Leave him alone." The fearless Beta repeated, and Nicholas visibly hesitated.

Ah, Yuuri remembered it now. The Beta was the heir to a successful company, and while it was rare that the title was handed to a Beta, his family had absolutely no qualms with it. He was well-known for his activity on the net, and Yuuri vaguely remembered his name from his online persona- Phichit, was it?

"Haven't you had enough of harassing him?" Leo added with a scowl. "You already burned him last night."

A student by his side had picked up his belongings for him, and Yuuri had accepted it with a surprised stutter of gratitude. The other onlookers pressed themselves against the walls of the lecture theatre, watching the scene in amusement. It was like watching a car wreck, but not quite. They knew it could potentially blow up in their face, dragged into a mess they had no part of, yet their curiosity refused to let them look away. 

"What's it to you?" Nicholas sneered. "Is it wrong for seniors to tease their juniors?"

Yuuri shifted to face the Alpha, frowning. "You're the same age as me. Just because you're an Alpha, you aren't necessarily more mature."

"We all know that your group has been picking on him." Phichit chimed in, raising a brow at the Alpha. "I'm sure you've proved your point."

Yuuri met the Beta's gaze, and the other sent him a sly wink. They had never spoken to each other before, but Yuuri recalled that he had been tagged by him in several posts. The Beta was also known for sparking trends, and he had been quick to hype #62MillionOmegas to an excessive degree.

Yuuri glanced at the various students clogging up the hallway, swallowing roughly. The crowd sent a mix of appreciative gazes and condescending stares, and he was momentarily distracted by the soft murmuring that came from behind him. 

"Katsuki Yuuri." The Alpha spoke, and Yuuri immediately snapped back to attention. "I don't know what you're trying to prove, taking up politics and business as an Omega."

Yuuri narrowed his eyes. It was true that he had taken up business studies as his minor. While he had his own reasons for it, it was unnerving that he had announced it to a good quarter of the cohort on his behalf. 

Nicholas moved closer, and Yuuri had to consciously hold himself still as he got into his face. The boy appeared to be a typical son of a wealthy tycoon. With dirty blond hair that was gelled back for an impressionable look, his demeanor matched the arrogance in his facial expression as he surveyed the students around them.

"You have no business in our government." The Alpha breathed, and Yuuri forced himself not to recoil at the domineering edge in his voice. "Making yourself a victim of the system will not bring you anywhere."

Yuuri held his ground, determined not to succumb to the Alpha's obvious display of assertiveness. Their faces were only inches apart, and Yuuri knew that the tension was so thick that one could cut it with a knife.

"Making yourself out to be the superior sex would not bring you anywhere as well." Yuuri retorted, staring defiantly back at the blond. "Too many Alphas get off on the power trip society grants them."

A flash of silver. A ring catching the light, a symbol of the wealthy and fortunate, dissolved into a blur as the fist struck him in his cheek. 

Yuuri stumbled back from the impact of the hit, falling onto some students who were too stunned to react. So was he, but the sting from the imprint of the ring on his cheek brought him back to reality quicker than he had liked.

The Alpha stepped forward quickly, leaning over the Omega who was sprawled out on the floor. Yuuri pushed his upper body off the floor, only to yell when the Alpha planted his foot right on his hand, grinding the heel of it into his knuckles. Phichit cried out in anger, lunging forward to help him, but was held back by several other Alpha students. 

"...you don't want to get involved in this." A female Alpha growled, watching the scene with a sick sort of sadistic glee. "Unless you want your name to be tarnished, do not help him."

Phichit clenched his fists, and Leo quickly stepped between the two. "Stop." The brunette said calmly, attempting to diffuse the conflict. "This won't help anyone." 

Nicholas chuckled, temporarily turning his attention to the squabble beside him. "Look, Phichit. I respect you more than that to think that you might side with this Omega."

"Why are you so narrow-minded?" Phichit scowled. "Why must everything be so black and white with you Alphas?" 

Admittedly, Yuuri had never seen the Beta so riled up before, and it came as quite a surprise. 

"It's not about choosing sides." Leo supplied, crossing his arms. "But if you all can't seem to understand that, it's no wonder our society is in this state today."

Low growls permeated through the theatre, and Yuuri knew that too many Alphas had taken that personally. Several students, more responsible ones, probably- had quickly stepped forward, shielding their friends from the furious Alphas.

"For all the support you give him online, why don't you help him?" Phichit said slowly, staring at his own group of friends. "You decided to hide behind masks of neutrality, only now?"

Yuuri winced when several Alphas shoved the Beta against the wall, much to the astonishment of the other students. 

"Hey, stop." A female Beta cut in, stepping forward from the group Phichit had just addressed. She was probably an acquaintance of the Beta, as was the various students who regarded the Alpha with frowns after they had messed with their friend.

"This won't resolve anything, let's-" 

A sharp slap resounded through the theatre, and Yuuri could feel the shock of the onlookers as the female Beta raised a trembling hand to her cheek. For the first time, Yuuri could feel glares being directed at an Alpha- the very female Alpha that had raised a hand against her, and that had ignited the anger of many students. 

She narrowed her eyes. "You have no right to speak."

"Why you-"

"You guys are too much!"

"Shit!"

A fight broke out.

Yuuri cried out at a sharp jolt of pain in his wrist, tearing his eyes from the scene to his left. Nicholas grabbed at his face, leaning in close enough for him to taste his breath on his lips. 

"Don't get distracted now." 

Yuuri could hear the start of another tussle behind the Alpha, and some of the students gathered around them began to run off at the first spark of violence. 

He wanted to retch at the proximity, and the feeling only intensified when the Alpha grinned at him in a sadistic manner. "You know, I do wonder what your Alpha thinks of your actions."

The Alpha leaned to the side, and Yuuri shuddered at the warmth of the breath that ghosted the shell of his ear. "It must be pretty damn fantastic to fuck you, knowing all the hatred you hold towards us."

Yuuri felt his breath catch in his throat. 

Nicholas grinned. "Or maybe... you don't have an Alpha?"

That was it. He could see various students roughhousing behind the Alpha, and judging by the noises around him he was sure that numerous other fights have broken out as well. 

Yuuri drew in a large breath, twisting his body sideways with a burst of strength. The Alpha made a noise of discontent when he lost his hold on his face, but Yuuri didn't give him a spare second to react. 

With a powerful thrust of his leg, he nailed the Alpha in the jaw, hearing the satisfactory crack as the Alpha howled. Having thrown the Alpha off him, Yuuri wasted no time in scrambling to his feet. 

He knew the dangers of practicing it in public, but he couldn't take another second of that. It reminded him too much of what had been forced onto him years ago; and some emotional scars did not fade, no matter how much the tides of time diluted the memories of it. 

Yuuri almost fell forward when Nicholas grabbed his ankle, holding him in place with a crushing grip. He spat out several droplets of blood, and Yuuri realised that he must have bitten his tongue when he had kicked him in the chin. 

"You fucker." The Alpha hissed, pulling him to the floor with a forceful yank. Much to Yuuri's chagrin, he fell right onto the Alpha- and the loud gasp in his ear was enough to tell him that he had made a grave mistake. A terrible mistake. 

His heat was coming, and the Alpha's face was just below his neck, where his scent glands resided. 

Yuuri leapt up like he had been burned, taking a few shaky steps back.

The Alpha was regarding him with wide eyes, jaw falling open as he moved to follow the Omega. It was almost surreal, he thought, to witness all the animosity in the Alpha's slitted pupils vanish without a trace. With just a metamorphic snap of a finger, the Alpha had regained his composure, and was now eyeing the Omega in what could only be described as unadulterated desire.

"Y-You're unmate-"

They couldn't know. No one could know. So he did the only reasonable thing he could think of at that moment, biting his lip as drew back with a fist. It collided into the side of the Alpha's head, cutting him off just before he could properly vocalise his shock. The blow sent the unguarded Alpha reeling, and Yuuri pulled back, heaving with adrenaline and terror. 

Everything was a blur after that.

It continued like that for a good few minutes. Yuuri had to fend off the livid Alpha students, all of whom looked too happy to drop all the diplomacy and fall into a straight out brawl. The students quickly dispersed, however, when a teacher had gotten wind of the happenings. He hollered at the crowd, and thankfully that had been enough to send the most of the students running. 

Yuuri had wisely slipped away as well, limping to the bathroom in a very disheveled state. He had gotten out of the fight with a split lip and several bruises, and he knew that he had to conceal the injuries for the next few days if he wanted to avoid being caught. Lecture theatres had no CCTV cameras, and that was a plus for him. 

Half-groaning, he leaned over the sink as he closed his eyes. His heart was still racing, and while he had fought mostly out of self-defense, some of his actions were still uncalled for. 

"Shit." Yuuri muttered, pressing a hand against his forehead. His skin was hot, and he allowed himself to breathe deeply for a few seconds. It was a technique that Minako taught him, one that was commonly used to relieve his anxiety attacks. It was alright, he hadn't slipped up that much. He wasn't in trouble. Hearing nothing but his own ragged breaths in the empty room helped him to calm down, and Yuuri felt his heart rate slow. 

His secret was still safe.

A soft creak alerted him of someone's entry into his safe haven, but he couldn't care less. Yuuri had never wanted to resort to violence; it was the last resort, and he had only learnt to defend himself for the sake of that. He wanted to change the world, but he never wanted to do it by using these methods. Alphas mostly fell back on using physical force to coerce others into doing their bidding, and it was a way of flaunting the very asset that set them apart from the other two secondary genders. 

He wouldn't resort to that; he wouldn't lower himself to their level. 

"You alright?"

Yuuri had been tempted to raise his head to acknowledge the question, but he was too exhausted to even open his eyes. So he had opted to shake his head, forcing a small smile on his face- even though he was quite sure the person could not see it. "Yeah, 'm fine." 

He heard a small chuckle in response, and the door creaked upon once, signaling the parting of the only other occupant of the restroom. As the door swung shut, it sent a gust of wind straight into the room- and along with it, a very pleasant scent- and he almost choked, eyes flaring open as he turned to the door. It took him a second to realise that the person had already left, and another extra second to realise that he had been hit with the scent of an _Alpha_. 

Yuuri blinked slowly, a foreign feeling making itself known in his gut. His heat must be closer than he had thought, if his body had reacted this way to just an Alpha's scent. Not just any Alpha, might he add- it was someone he did not know at all. So he had scurried back to his room, intent on holing up there for the rest of the day. Lectures could wait, this was more pressing.

But he still wasn't off the hook.

He had received a video attachment that very night, when he had been nursing his wounds in the confines of his room. 

_22:00_

_Anon : (video)_

_Anon : Oh, look what I found!_

Yuuri had a sneaking suspicion of what its contents were, even before he had hit the play button.

_22:15_

_You : Did you record this? _

_22:16_

_Anon : Yeap! <3_

Yuuri felt a cold chill run down his spine. The video recording was started right when he had punched the Alpha, and without any prior knowledge of the events beforehand, it would seem that he had instigated the entire fight.

_22:18_

_Anon : I didn't know you could fight that well, Yuuri~_

He dug his nails into his palms, suddenly very aware that what he said next was pivotal in determining his fate. 

_22:18_

_You : ...what's your purpose?_

_Anon : Ah, no purpose at all!! I just thought Yuuri might need evidence if he ever got into trouble!_

Bullshit, and he was sure the user knew that too.

_22:19_

_You : Don't post that video online._

_Anon : Oh no._

_You : What??_

_Anon : I was just messing with you! Of course I haven't posted it online ^-^_

Yuuri released a breath he hadn't known he was holding. As if nothing had transpired, the unknown user started a new slate of conversation. 

_22:21_

_Anon : This is getting boring_

_Anon : Let's resume our chat from earlier!!_

_22:35_

_Anon : Yuuri, I was joking~ I will delete the video!_

_Anon : If you're that worried, I can show you my phone in person ;)_

Yuuri didn't like this one bit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anon, anon oh anon
> 
> Nothing much to say here, I'll let the next chapter speak for itself ;)
> 
> Also, a note: #62MillionOmegas is a reference to #62MillionGirls. It was created in support of the Let Girls Learn initiative launched by Michelle Obama. The context is not very similar, but it's used in reference to how Omegas are being kept from education. 
> 
> Do come chat with me on [tumblr](http://saorin-kun.tumblr.com/)! Please scream at me or send me an ask, or maybe even urge me to push out the next chapter (lol). I'm most active there <3


	7. Dancing with the Devil

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really must thank those of yall who have stayed this long. I know that the earlier parts of the fic must have been pretty dry, and I'm really grateful to those who have followed me actively to this point! It means more to me than you'd ever imagine, so thank you. <3 
> 
> Ahh, you might want to read this chapter slowly!

“Young people going around and pursuing ridiculous dreams and end up ruining their lives. Is that freedom?”

Out of all the subdisciplines of his Major, he had to admit that he was most fascinated by Political Theory. His lecturer loved to induce discussions, however he had never been one to partake in them. It was rather daunting to be the only Omega in an entire lecture theatre of a hundred students or so, and he knew better than to draw more attention to himself.

“And the weak being taken advantage by the strong- is that equality?”

Yuuri had turned to the person who had spoken, not bothering to conceal the surprise showing on his face. The Beta had always been very vocal, and Yuuri shouldn’t have been as surprised as he actually was. But anyone would fidget under the stares bestowed upon them at the mention of something so controversial, and he was impressed by the other’s bravado.

“The subject of secondary genders, Phichit?” The lecturer questioned knowingly, appraising the Beta with a critical eye. “We’ve already touched on domestic political issues.”

“But they are not resolved.” Phichit added, wavering under the heated gazes. 

The lecturer nodded. “They are not resolved. But we have thoroughly studied the sciences of each secondary gender, and the government has made political decisions synonymous with the best interests of the country.” 

“At the oppression of the weaker sex?” Another voice rang out, and the attention of the listening students shifted to the far right of the theatre hall.

Now his curiosity was piqued. It wasn’t common to see such an intimate debate on a subject that struck particularly close to home, and the atmosphere of the hall grew heavy as the seconds ticked by with an agonizing slowness. 

“Is this really the freedom and equality we speak of?” 

Who was speaking? Yuuri squinted, adjusting the frame of his glasses on the bridge of his nose. He had always sat at the second level of his lecture theatre, far away from the rowdy Alphas that tended to occupy the seats on the first level. He couldn’t see the slides very well from this angle, but he could easily view them from his phone- as part of the online resources uploaded by the faculty. 

For all of his interest in the ongoing discussion, he couldn’t identify the speaker very well. The student was hidden just out of his peripheral vision, tucked away in an unassuming corner of the lecture theatre. Much like himself, he mused sardonically. 

“The illusions of freedom and equality were born out of misunderstandings and ignorance.” 

Yuuri blinked twice, frowning. Hold on- what? That seemed to contradict his earlier statement.

Another student sniggered loudly in agreement, and he shivered in disgust when he recognised the Alpha. She was a part of a group of Alphas Yuuri had sworn to avoid at all costs, especially after the events previous. Though they were well-known for being pompous and snobbish to an unbearable degree, he would give them credit where it was due- they were a highly-opinionated group, unafraid to voice their thoughts- but their views frequently clashed with his. 

The female Alpha threw back her head of short red locks, laughing crudely between gulps of air. Yuuri didn’t even have to listen to what she was about to say next- he already knew the crass remarks that the group would supply them with. 

“If from the beginning, someone empathises with the exploited, don’t you think that’s the life that best suits them?” She said airily, putting her hands together as she narrowed brilliant blue pools at the students around them. “It’s a rat race. Those who never had the ability, to begin with, shouldn’t even hope to catch up with the superior.”

“Oi, shut the fuck up!” A student shouted from somewhere in the lecture hall, and his yell was accompanied by shouts of agreement. “Have some fucking respect for us.”

The redhead turned behind casually, and the predatory glint in her icy gaze stifled some cries of anger. “Oh,” She smiled. “I was never speaking about you.”

The student from before- the one that was seated at the far end of the theatre spoke again, and Yuuri was fairly certain that he would have a good rebuttal to the haughty Alpha- until he heard his actual words.

“Watch your tongue, Omegas are capable too.”

Oh god, no. Yuuri withered even before the stares could reach him, lowering his head on instinct. 

“Yeah. That’s why we only have _one_ Omega in this entire theatre. Oh wait, I meant to say, only one in the _entire_ faculty.”

He did not need this right now. It’s only been two days after the gigantic consternation between the two opposing groups, and he’d be damned if he was caught in it again. Which was inevitable, because he had been the one to trigger it all. 

Phichit, who had been listening intently to the entire discourse, quickly fired back at the opening. “So how can you call this equality, when one group is so poorly represented?”

“It was never meant to be equal!” An Alpha beside the redhead snapped back. “We were not born equal in the first place. Your argument is invalid!”

The Beta had paused, and his hesitance was met with cheers of approval from the Alphas. “That-” He began to say, but was drown out by crows of laughter from the contemptuous group.

Perhaps it had been the anger that clouded his rational thought. But Yuuri found that he couldn’t keep silent any longer, and the apprehension from before was absent. He despised himself when he had to resort to petty arguments and fights just to prove a point, but he absolutely wouldn’t be able to live with himself if he let them step all over the people that supported him like that.

“Equality is an illusion, and it’s certainly one of the exploiters.” Yuuri voiced, loud enough for a hush to settle over the crowd. He couldn’t take it back, now that he had broken his own vow of silence. He paused after that, noting that he was being regarded with gazes of utmost respect from the group of Betas that had defended him staunchly. 

“It certainly wasn’t equal in the first place... because you make it out to be so.” Yuuri continued, and the even lecturer looked stupefied at his sudden inclusion. All heads were turned to him now, awestruck faces of surprise. “The idea of secondary genders has, and will always be a social construct. One that has been ruthlessly abused by the society.”

The Alphas were simply staring at him. The retorts that he had expected did not come, and he was hit by a sudden coldness, alike a torrent of water, a bone-chilling realisation that he had only just noticed. They were all waiting. Waiting to see what he had to bring to the table, what he had to say- and their mocking smiles were enough of a testament to that.

Anxiety broke through. Yuuri stuttered, but the Betas in the theatre had been quick to catch him where he fell. 

“He’s right,” Phichit supported, and many students were nodding along to his words. 

“Yall will never be able to understand what Omegas have to go through.” Leo growled, and Yuuri was reminded of how much the Beta had scorned the treatment of his sister. “Yall wisely keep your mouth shut if you knew better.”

“Okay, calm down.” The lecturer said gruffly, with an authoritative voice. “There’s no need for such animosity in discussions. We resolve conflicts diplomatically.”

Several snorts came from the general direction of the Alphas, and Yuuri had snapped out of it then, collapsing on his seat with a shaky exhale.

“You are all dismissed.”

* * *

“Yuuri!” 

An arm was slung around his shoulders, and he quickly found himself surrounded by several Betas. He panicked, still jittery from the happenings in the lecture theatre, but he was greeted with cordial smiles when he whirled around, and Leo was hanging off him with a warm expression that he couldn’t quite place. 

The brunette pulled away after he had given them his attention, allowing the various Betas- about eight of them- to introduce themselves to him. 

“You should sit with us, next time.” Phichit said from the side, speaking up for the group. He whipped his phone out, pulling him in close for a selfie with a carefree laugh. “We’ll love to have you around.”

Yuuri flushed. "Huh?"

“We weren’t sure about you at first.” Leo completed easily, falling into step with him. “For all we knew, you could have been another one of those self-righteous assholes-” 

He jerked a thumb back at the theatre, rolling his eyes. “You may not be an Alpha, but there was a possibility that an Omega who had stirred up such a media shitstorm was just as arrogant as them.”

Yuuri blinked. These Betas were more shrewd than they came off to be if they were careful to approach him, despite supporting his beliefs. 

"You were watching me."

The brunette nodded. "We're not quick to judge, but Phichit here was a huge supporter of yours even way before we met you.”

The popular Beta spluttered in indignance. "He was Internet famous! You can't blame me for that, what he did was pretty amazing in itself!” 

"True." Leo said, flashing him a reassuring smile. “And it turns out that you’re not half-bad in person too, mate.”

A Beta from behind them gave him a radiant smile. "Some people mistake your audacity as arrogance, and your actions as a cry for attention." She said softly, nodding to herself. "But we have seen enough for ourselves to know that you really mean well."

“I…thank you.” He found himself at a loss for words, a strange warmth rising in his chest. “Thank you for helping me out all this time.”

Phichit grinned. “It’s our pleasure.” 

They headed to a cafe for lunch, and for the first time in his life, Yuuri felt the stirrings of acceptance in his heart. 

It was warm, he realised; far too warm for his liking. 

“You must have been lonely for a long time.” A female Beta had remarked quietly. “Weren’t you?”

The Betas at the table turned to him, and he felt his gut twist.

"I've been fine." He said, forcing a smile. "It's been manageable."

His answer seemed to placate his new group of friends, but Phichit continued watching him through chews of his food.

Yuuri broke their gaze quickly, but his friend had already caught the sliver of uneasiness that shone through his facade.

"Yuuri." Phichit called, and Yuuri looked up to meet his concerned gaze. "You can tell us anything."

Throughout his years, he was picked on and ostracised. Most of the students his age treated him with scorn and disdain, and he had learnt to protect himself from their barbs. 

Yuuko had been close to the only exception, and she had wormed her way into his heart with great difficulty. She was dear to him, as was Yurio, and even though the latter was an Alpha he found himself trusting the blond more overtime. 

The smile on his face felt heavy. “Really, I'm fine." 

His friend's stare lingered for a moment longer. He looked away to take a sip of his drink, pulling out his phone.

"Hey. Wanna exchange contacts?" 

Yuuri blinked, looking at the phone that was now held out to him. 

Phichit gave him a small smile. "We're friends, right?"

Yuuri paused. Relinquishing his hold on his phone that had been clutched too tightly in his hand, he handed it to the eager Beta. 

"Great." His friend grinned, passing back his phone once he was done. 

_phichit+chuchu: 9389****_

It was sounded so ridiculous, yet so fitting at the same time. 

"That's the first trace of genuine emotion I've seen from you." 

Yuuri looked up, suddenly very aware of the silly smile hanging off his lips.

Phichit laughed, and Yuuri felt the tip of his ears burn. 

"You should smile like that more." His friend said, looking strangely proud of himself. Then a pause, and he snapped his fingers.

"We'll make sure of it."

Phichit was offering him his pinky finger, positively beaming with determination.

Another smile threatened to emerge at the childish gesture, and his friend was sporting a knowing smile.

"Come on, it's not childish!" Phichit waggled his little finger. Yuuri finally gave in, returning the gesture with a soft sigh.

He wasn’t able to properly rationalise the feelings until he had retired back to his room that night, and it was only then, that he had allowed himself to delve into that emotion, and a sad smile to flit across his lips.

It wasn’t supposed to ache, he wasn’t supposed to feel like someone had ripped out a stone that was lodged firmly in his ribcage for years, to the point where the obtrusive feeling became a part of who he was, and now that it was gone he felt almost lost. 

_Before the group parted ways, Phichit turned to him with a slightly bitter smile._

_"Things will get better. It doesn't seem like it will, but it'll happen eventually."_

It was too warm. 

Yuuri chuckled, and the bubble of laughter sounded so foreign to his ears.

He felt torn. He despised the feeling, knowing that this short period of happiness would probably pass soon enough. Yet a part of him ached with need, like a neglected child that had never tasted acceptance from his peers; and now that he knew its flavour, he refused to let it go.

It was so unfair.

* * *

_07:28_

_Anon : You were amazing yesterday~_

_Anon : I'm glad that I helped you too =v=_

_08:00_

_You : What do you mean?_

_08:03_

_Anon : I'm hurt, Yuuri!_

_Anon : Did you not hear me speak?_

Yuuri stiffened, shifting through his memories. Was the person he was speaking to an Alpha? The only people he could recall speaking up yesterday was...

_08:04_

_Anon : It's okay. I'm glad I said something nonetheless!_

There was no doubt that this anonymous user was in his lectures, as they had claimed. But news spread like wildfire in these parts after all, and the user could still be lying, though he was sure they had little to gain by doing that. 

_08:05_

_Anon : You provided some really interesting perspectives!_

Yuuri shook his head, turning off his phone. He should be careful. They did not upload the video as per his request, but he still wasn't certain of their intentions.

Or... they could just be a fan, and he being too skeptical.

* * *

Phichit nudged him during a particularly intriguing lecture on the quantitative analysis of policies, poking him several times in the arm to catch his attention.

“Didn’t you do a commentary on The Breeding Act on your blog?” The Beta questioned, pointing at his phone. “I remember discussing about it.”

Yuuri blinked. “With me?”

Phichit hummed, thick brows knitting together in thought. “I think so.”

Yuuri felt a breath of relief escape past his lips. If his friend had been the anonymous user that he was worried about, he was now absolutely sure that his concerns were unwarranted. 

It all made sense now, and it certainly explained why Leo had said that Phichit was a fan of his even way back before they had met. It all matched up- Phichit had spoken up for him that day, which the unknown user claimed to have done.

“Why didn’t you get a proper account?” He breathed, and his friend rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. 

“I was happy just playing around on my Instaram.” The Beta admitted, shrugging lightly. “Besides, I have a larger following there. It made it easier to reach out to people.”

Yuuri exhaled heavily, falling on his backrest like a deflated balloon. 

Phichit laughed. "Why, were you worried?"

Yuuri groaned in response, pulling out his phone to scroll through the conversation thread.

"Why would you be?" His friend looked bemused. "I only tagged you in a few of my rants."

Oh, so he tagged him on Instaram as well. That was certainly not mentioned in their conversations, though he barely minded the fact that he left it out. 

Yuuri shook his head. "It's okay. I doubt you'll understand."

His friend couldn't possibly understand how he had to be cautious at almost every turn, lest he slipped up. Chatting with anonymous users must be a daily event for someone as popular as him after all, being a huge social media enthusaist and a heir to a major company. 

Phichit raised a brow, chuckling lightly. "Alright."

* * *

By the end of the day, Yuuri was absolutely exhausted. It was draining to run about during his pre-heat, and today happened to be his busiest day of the week. 

He clutched his books to his chest, yawning tiredly. His legs threatened to give out beneath him, and he had to quite literally drag himself back to his dorm in a dazed stupor. 

“Hey, it’s Omega-boy.” 

Yuuri could have groaned out loud in disbelief. His head was heavy with the vast amount of scent blockers he had downed the entire day, and its effects had only begun to kick in now. 

He must have taken too much, but he never wanted to take the risk. The confrontation with Nicholas had been too close, far too close, and he wasn't about to repeat his mistake. Omegas were most vulnerable during pre-heat, and their scent was the most potent during that period. Or more crudely put, he’d rather overdose on his medication rather than risk getting raped in some dreary, reclusive corner of the university. 

For all his luck, he had to meet the two Alphas from the group he detested the most in the corridor of his dorm. 

So close yet so far away, Yuuri thought bitterly. He was sure his scent was barely detectable. So why would they bother him only now, when most students had retired to their rooms for the night?

Yuuri frowned, trying to conceal his fatigue as much as possible. “What do you want?” He said, keeping his voice void of emotion. “Can’t you pick on me tomorrow?”

"I don't think any of us would pass up this opportunity." The redhead smirked. "Fate must have wanted us to meet."

The more intimidating of the two Alphas crossed her arms firmly over her chest, moving to block his path. As if it wasn’t clear enough before that he wasn’t going to get past them easily, he thought.

“I’ve to meet a teacher.” Yuuri tried, tightening his hold on his study materials. “You’ll have to answer for my lateness.”

The other Alpha- clearly a lapdog of the redhead- scoffed audibly. “At this hour? Your lie could not be less convincing.”

Yuuri sighed, clearly exasperated. “Can’t you let me pass-"

The redhead stepped forward, shoving him with a strength that had him stumbling to regain his balance. But her touch seemed electric, and his body reacted to it badly.

An intense jolt in his groin sent him bending over, and he nearly bit his tongue off as he resisted the urge to curl in on himself. 

The two Alphas looked at each other, shock mirrored on their faces as he braced himself against the wall, breathing heavily. 

His heat was due. He peered up the two dumbfounded students, taking in the confusion on their faces. It was only a simple push after all, and one would not typically expect such a response.

"Let me pass." He gritted out, through fresh waves of pain. "I don't feel well-"

But he never got to complete the sentence. He collapsed onto the floor, landing on his side as he groaned feverishly. Unexpected exposure to Alphas in his state sent him over the edge, and he could only guess that he was now suffering from the after-effects of pills that delayed his heat.

One could only go so long without their heat, and he had been putting off his own heat for about a year now. The suppressants were waging a war with his system, and they were fighting a losing battle. He had taken more than the recommended dosage the past two days, and it would seem that he had reached his threshold.

"What the fuck, is he dying?"

Yuuri knew he was thoroughly fucked, because his scent might just lure every single Alpha in the vicinity to him. 

"No wait, that smell-"

Yuuri had never felt so impotent in his whole life. The knowledge that he was completely powerless; helpless at the hands of two ill-natured Alphas was crushing, and he tore at his lip with teeth till it bled. 

Snap out of it. He could run for it now if he could just get himself to stand. 

His limbs stubbornly refused to obey him, and even the smarting of his broken lips and the metallic tang in his mouth did nothing to spur him to his feet. It's as if his body went into an automatic lockdown, paralysing him from waist down. 

Yuuri bit back his cries of frustration, letting his head drop onto the floor with a thud.

"...he is an Omega, after all."

Yuuri winced when he was pulled up by his fringe none too gently, trying to blink away the tears that had unwittingly sprung forth. But his vision was blurry, and it was probably a product of his hazy state of mind rather than the dust that had gotten into his eyes.

The reddish blob before him gave a low growl when he showed no resistance, releasing the hold on his head quickly. She backed away- and Yuuri could barely register their retreating silhouettes as cold arms lifted him off the ground.

He felt his consciousness slipping from his grasp, wriggling out of his hold like an elusive koi fish that he had tried to catch in his younger days. 

"Yuuri."

He blacked out.

* * *

When Yuuri came to, he sprang upright with a sharp intake of breath, heaving in terror. Then his head spun, and he fell back onto the sheets heavily when the ringing in his ears refused to stop.

His heat, his heat had been out of control, and the Alphas, the Alphas had gotten to him. He had been so stupid, so careless-

"How was your sleep, Kobuta-chan?"

He turned to the side so quickly he could have gotten a whiplash, and he half-buried his face into the pillow with a groan.

Where, where the hell was he?

It was surprisingly quiet. A student was sitting by his side, watching him with an ambiguous smile. Icy eyes flickered with a hint of mirth, and Yuuri felt his breath catch in his throat when their gazes met. 

He found himself tongue-tied, suddenly very aware of how parched his mouth was.

The student tilted his head to the side, letting long silver locks cascade down his back. The glossy strands caught the light at an angle, reminiscent of the way a waterfall would sparkle at midday.

"Do you want to take a picture?" 

Like a spell that had been broken, Yuuri blinked in confusion, banishing his thoughts.

"Pardon?" He croaked, and the student leaned against a palm, letting silky strands fall back over his left eye. 

"It'll last longer." The student explained, winking at him almost teasingly. He seemed blasé about the entire situation, and Yuuri felt the heat creeping onto his face at his reply.

Yuuri tore his gaze away, glancing about. To the best of his abilities, that is. His legs still felt like jelly, and he couldn't even sit up on the bed he was on. 

The student was clad in a white and red runner jacket over a simple black tee, with jogging pants to match. He looked very presentable, with grey hair neatly combed back into a high ponytail. Yuuri looked down at himself, noting that he was wearing a plain white shirt and slacks, and the clothes he had been wearing the night before was absent. He was sure he had stained them, anyway.

When Yuuri looked up, he met the student's gaze once again. 

"You're in the infirmary. I brought you here." The student said, with a small smirk. "Don't worry, I didn't change you; the doctor did."

He was sure that he had met the two Alphas before he had passed out, and to get from his dorm to the infirmary- did this guy really carry him all the way here?

"Oh." Yuuri said, frowning slightly. "And you are?"

"You can call me Evgeni." The student said, catching his wandering gaze. If it wasn't for the masculine ring to his speech, he would've been inclined to think that the student was female. 

"You're Yuuri, right?" Evgeni continued, and there was something very odd about the way his name slid off his tongue, like butter off a hot knife.

"Y-yeah." Yuuri replied, cursing the fuzziness in his head for his inability to string together proper sentences. "What happened?"

"You fainted in the hallway, and I carried you here like the kind-hearted person I am." 

That was what he figured. But he shouldn't let his guard down, even if the student claimed to have saved him- despite how much the other radiated with sincerity.

Evgeni smiled good-naturedly. "Don't you have a mate?"

His thoughts shattered. Yuuri froze, feeling his blood curl in his veins.

"Hmm?" The student stood from his chair, adopting a casual pose as he leaned against the frame of the bed. "You can trust me, I won't dream of harming you."

It was probably then, that he realised that Evgeni had no distinct scent. Or even if he did- it was very well concealed, and that possibility in itself was a reason to stay wary.

"Of course I do." Yuuri said slowly. "But is that any of your business?"

Evgeni laughed lightly. "I'm just asking, Yuuri. I've never seen an Omega affected so badly by his heat before."

The student sat by the edge of his bed, fingering the sheets with a thoughtful smile. "Besides, Omegas with mates don't normally suppress their heats for years at a time."

Yuuri stiffened, turning to see the silver-haired student watching him with a cryptic smile. "...that's not true." 

Evgeni's smile stretched wider. "Is that so? The doctor must be mistaken, then."

Yuuri clenched his fists under the sheets. "Are you a Beta?"

"Of course." He replied, twirling a strand of hair around his finger. "Why else would I help you?"

"Why are you still here?" Yuuri muttered, flinching when a droplet of condensation rolled down his nose. "You needn't stay."

Evgeni leaned over him in a particularly sudden move, wiping away the water and readjusting the ice pack on his forehead.

Yuuri's eyes widened as the Beta pulled away.

"Because I'm concerned." 

Evgeni ruffled his hair, leaving with a twitch of his lips. "Because I'm your fan, Yuuri."

* * *

After Evgeni left, the doctor had returned to reprimand him for his careless behaviour. 

"I've a son like you." The doctor scolded. "You thank your lucky stars that I've been the one on shift last night."

She pulled out a needle, sterilizing it with some hot water before wiping it clean. "I know some of my colleagues who would gladly leave you out there for the Alphas."

She looked at him critically, tapping a pen against her clipboard. "Now I want you to be honest with me, Yuuri. Last night could have turned out far worse, if that kind Beta didn't bring you in."

Yuuri hesitated, and the doctor squinted at him. 

"I can't help you if I don't know what you've been taking." The doctor said sternly. Then as an afterthought, "I will keep all things confidential."

"Suppressants." Yuuri finally said, lowering his head. "For a long time."

"That certainly explains it. Though that wouldn't be my guess." She took his arm, inspecting the gauze pads around his bicep. "Is your Alpha not treating you right?"

Yuuri looked away. "We're alright."

"Then I see no problem. Do you have sex regularly?"

"No."

The doctor turned around, regarding him curiously. "Now that's the first I've heard. Most Omegas I've treated off campus have no problems with that." 

She gave him a grim smile. "My son has problems with getting his Alpha to stop forcing himself on him so often. Too much isn't a good thing either."

"Did his Alpha listen?"

The doctor walked over to his side with the needle, pushing up the sleeve of his other arm. 

"It's hard with these things." The doctor answered, cleaning a spot on his arm with sanitized wipes. "You should know."

Yuuri's expression softened. He winced when the needle pricked his skin, and the doctor was quick to wipe away the droplet of blood. 

"I know." He murmured, and the doctor casted him a look of sympathy. 

"You've probably overworked yourself as well." She said, removing the ice pack on his forehead. "You were running quite a temperature, young man. Excessive intake of suppressants will result in that."

A conflicted look crossed his features, and he finally voiced the question that he dreaded to know the answer to. "What did you put me on?"

The doctor was sharp. "Yuuri, you cannot continue to suppress your heat like that. When did it start?"

"Two years ago."

She nearly dropped the tray she was holding. "You've been suppressing your heat for two years?"

"I had it once, a year ago." Yuuri said quietly. 

Yuuri remembered it vividly. Thankfully, he had been at home when his heat arrived. He had been nauseous to a concerning degree, and the pain had been almost intolerable. His parents deduced that his excessive suffering was due to his circumstances- he lacked a mate, and the visceral part of him ached with need. It was an involuntary bodily reaction, one that stemmed from being surrounded by satiated Omegas and Alphas on a daily basis. It wasn't good for anyone, and that had been the only time when he had almost slipped, frustrated at not having a solution to his sexual desires.

"Suppressing it for a year is bad enough. Do you know the normal heat cycles of a healthy Omega?"

Yuuri nodded distractedly. "Once every four months, three times a year."

"That's right." The doctor scowled. "You fainted last night due to exhaustion and hormonal fluctuations. Suppressants had tried to lower the hormone levels in your body, but your body, which had been low on Omegasterone for a year, needed a certain amount to function properly."

"I know." Yuuri muttered. "But-"

"No buts," the doctor cut him off. "I administered two jabs of Medroxyomegasterone Acetate. They will help to bring your hormone levels back up, and your heat should come in a few days from now."

Yuuri felt his throat go dry. "A few days?"

She nodded, handed him his phone after discarding the needle. "You should hurry and prepare for it."

He frowned, touching the shattered screen. It was only a small portion, but it was in pristine condition before. 

"You must have dropped it," the doctor remarked. "That student brought it here for you."

Yuuri quickly fiddled around with it, relieved to find that it was still working fine.

_Yesterday, 21:56_

_Anon : Yuuri, are you okay?_

_Yesterday, 22:00_

_Anon : I heard that you fainted?? TAT_

Yuuri unlocked his phone with a click, frowning at the new messages he received. It was Phichit, of course. It was only reasonable that his friend was concerned about his absence.

_06:35_

_You : I'm fine. But who did you hear this from?_

_06:37_

_Anon : Thank goodness!! I'm so happy_

_Anon : The news has been floating about since last night! Why was your heat so bad? Was it the suppressants??_

The suppressants were obvious, weren't they? And his friend could definitely understand. 

_06:37_

_You : I think so. _

_Anon : Why did you binge them TAT_

_You : I don't like to deal with heats._

_Anon : It's really unhealthy, though. How can you continue like this?_

His first instinct was to type an ambiguous reply on how his Alpha would take care of it, no worries- but he paused, making a snappy decision. He was having his heat very soon. He would need to inform Phichit about it at the very least, as he needed someone to cover for him. 

_06:38_

_You : I'll find a way._

_Anon : What about your Alpha??_

_You : I'll tell you when I see you later. Let's meet outside R-11._

Yuuri placed his phone face down on the sheets, covering his face in despair. He should have predicted his heat's arrival beforehand, but he hadn't been following it closely, too caught up in the drama he had stirred. 

He couldn't let anyone else other than his friend know. They had technically just met, but he knew he needed to rely on someone if he wanted to get past his upcoming heat unscathed. He had to trust Phichit, and hope, pray that the other was really like he seemed- someone he could trust. 

It was a gamble, and he had never felt so fearful in his life.

* * *

Yuuri stalked through the halls, feeling oddly self-conscious. He didn't know if those rumours were true, and he did not want to confirm it for himself. He needed to find his friends first, and he had to meet with them.

His breath was knocked out of him, and Yuuri stumbled forward when someone threw an arm around him from behind. Relief flooded through him.

Yuuri sighed. "Leo, I told you not to do that."

"Who's Leo?" 

Yuuri spun around and was greeted by a familiar pair of cerulean pools. Too close. So close, that he could make out the speckles of cobalt in the other's irises with frightening clarity.

Evgeni grinned at him cattily.

Yuuri felt his heart stop. He reacted on instinct, slamming his arm into the Beta's throat and pinning him against the next available surface. When his thoughts caught up with him, Yuuri gasped and immediately pulled away.

The silver-haired student fell to the ground coughing, and Yuuri felt terrible, the knife of guilt twisting fatally in his gut.

"I'm so sorry." Yuuri stuttered, reaching down to help the Beta to his feet. The student was rubbing at his neck, wincing in pain. "It was an accident."

Evgeni gave a whine, silver hair askew as he tightened his ponytail that came loose. "That hurt, Yuuri. What gives?"

Yuuri hesitated, freezing in his motions. That line sounded so familiar, for no reason at all.

"Help me to the infirmary." Evgeni pouted. "I think I might have twisted my ankle when you hit me."

Yuuri bit his lip. He really should, shouldn't he? He did owe the Beta one for helping him last night. 

"I'm sorry." He repeated, wrapping an arm around the other's slender shoulders. He stifled the flinch when the Beta wrapped his arm around his neck in a similar gesture, and couldn't help but feel that the other was leaning in a bit too close for comfort.

"It's okay." Evgeni responded cheerily, as they moved along the corridors. "I know that you've not had it easy."

There it was again. The tinge of déjà vu.

The student on his shoulder groaned. "My head hurts, Yuuri."

The Beta shifted his weight, dropping his head onto Yuuri's shoulder. The Omega gritted his teeth, feeling very exposed. His neck seemed to throb with a heat, and he was sure that the Beta's face was just _that_ close to his scent glands.

"Too close." He muttered, and the Beta turned his head away with a muffled apology. 

Evgeni's breaths were hot against his skin, and he swallowed, hoping that the other was not able to hear the pounding of his heart. Yuuri wasn't used to this much skin contact, and it took all it had in him to hold back the urge to push the Beta away. 

When they arrived at the infirmary, he was hit with an intoxicating scent as he sat the Beta on the bed. His eyes widened, searching for the source of the smell- but no one else was in the room, and Yuuri felt his stomach sink when he realised that the doctor was out for lunch.

"What's wrong?" Evgeni questioned. "You look worried."

Yuuri blinked slowly, turning to the student. He understood it now; he had been a fool.

"Who are you?" Yuuri said, gripping the frame of the bed. "Who actually are you?"

The Beta looked startled, but Yuuri wasn't going to buy the act any longer.

"You're not a Beta." Yuuri breathed in deeply, coughing when the scent filled his lungs. The smell was musky, almost addictive; and while he had only caught it briefly, it was clearly not one of a Beta. "No, you're definitely not a Beta."

Evgeni raised a brow. "What a flagrant accusation, Yuuri."

The statement hit too close to a particular memory. 

His phone buzzed, breaking the tense silence. Yuuri pulled out his phone, keeping a watchful eye on the student. It was a text message.

_phichit+chuchu : Yuuri!! Where are you? _

_phichit+chuchu : We're at Mxdonalds, the usual place!_

Yuuri hesitated before typing a quick reply.

_You : Didn't we agree to meet outside R-11?_

A creak from the bed had him glancing up in a flash. Evgeni was standing, watching him with an indecipherable expression. Once more he found himself enraptured by his gaze, and it took several vibrations from his phone to snap him out of it.

_phichit+chuchu : You never said that!! ;o;_

_phichit+chuchu : And what do you mean? Yuuri, I've never texted you before this. _

Time seemed to slow to a standstill. 

Evgeni had moved to stand in front of him, and Yuuri could almost feel the weight of the other's shadow, standing a good few centimeters taller than him. 

The student smiled. "Who are you texting, Yuuri?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so extra notes! (I fear some bits may be confusing, but I love answering your questions asdfgh, so bomb me with them anytime)
> 
> Yuuri is still practicing Capoeira at any available opportunity (private room in gyms at unpopular time slots) so he doesn't get rusty. It's also a good way to stay fit, so it's a win-win for him, since he manages to keep his practices a secret. During pre-heats, however, he does not practice it to avoid more physical strain.
> 
> Also, Victor doesn't look like his father. He has his own backstory, which we will find out later.
> 
> And YES, I tricked you in this chapter. Or I tried very hard to lol [Were you, though?] It'll be mentioned next chapter, but before you ask- Phichit mentioned that he had been 'discussing policies' with Yuuri as he had frequently tagged him in his rants about them. To Phichit, who thought Yuuri had seen his tagged posts on Instaram, thought of it as an 'inclusive discussion' on it, as his posts usually encouraged such comments. BUT, Yuuri misunderstood and thought he was anon. It's more of an unfortunate coincidence than anything else, and coupled with Yuuri's poor social etiquette (not clarifying and jumping to conclusions + personal hope of anon being someone he knew), it was a recipe for disaster. 
> 
> This chapter looked more into Yuuri's health and how he coped with his heats, and also builds on his relationship with others. Mostly, it was a game of hide and seek between (ehem) as well. 
> 
> I spent quite some time pondering on how to best introduce him... ah. XD Hopefully this chapter was worth the wait. Was it...?
> 
> (Why is he so touchy-feely with Yuuri, I wonder... and why is Yuuri so affected by his scent in particular?) 
> 
> I'll give virtual cookies for any of your speculations and questions! 
> 
> ***On a completely unrelated note: The next chapter may take longer than expected, because I'll be receiving my results in three days and I've been waiting for months to get them. I'll be scrambling to register with them, and I'm downright terrified. So please do wait patiently for the next one! :'D (and please do come chat with me on [tumblr](http://saorin-kun.tumblr.com/)/[twitter](https://twitter.com/foxx_chibi)!)
> 
> edit: A small note! While the Alphas seem childishly antagonistic, I'm showing examples of the injustice Yuuri has faced, since it is from his pov after all. There are good Alphas, but most of them do not step up to help Yuuri because of how some of their peers would disapprove of it. Good sides of Alphas would definitely show (other than Yurio) but that would not happen publicly so soon. While Yuuri is very courageous, not many Alphas are, and one of their greatest fears that compel them to act this way is societal expectations. I would have made one of the cast- of Yuuri's group currently- into an Alpha, but I feel that Leo's and Phichit's laid back natures fit a Beta better. You'd also be surprised at how asinine some bullying cases can be, especially towards race/religion. ;w;


	8. Let's Play a Game, You and I

The student smiled. “Who are you texting, Yuuri?”

The silence was deafening. One could almost hear a pin drop, and his breaths seemed just that much louder in the quiet room. 

“Not you.” Yuuri remarked quietly, tightening the grip on his phone. “Certainly not you.”

The student quirked a brow, sauntering over to his side. The smile that crept onto his expression was eerie, and his words were laced with a type of venom that Yuuri would’ve never expected from such a pretty face. 

“Hmm, what do you mean?”

What a waste of a pretty face. 

“You’re the anonymous person that had been texting me.” Yuuri said, keeping his gaze carefully trained on him. “You lied.”

Evgeni pushed aside the curtains obscuring the window, letting a ray of sunshine light up his otherwise pale complexion. 

“And what did I lie about, Yuuri?” The student replied, allowing his gaze to slide across the room to meet his. “About being a fan? My intentions?” 

Evgeni leaned against the windowsill, resting his chin on the crux of his palm. “Or perhaps… my secondary gender?”

Yuuri hesitated then, thrown off by his playful tone. Evgeni tilted his head, watching him like how one would look at a particularly stupid puppy.

“I don’t like this.” Yuuri spoke, glaring at the other once it was clear that an air of animosity had settled between them. “I’ve played your game long enough.”

Evgeni dropped his hand. The innocuous glimmer returned to those baby blue pools in an instant, and it was hard to believe that one could change expressions so easily, so guiltlessly. 

“Hmm, Yuuri can be pretty cruel.” Evgeni had the nerve to look hurt, holding a hand over his heart. “I have only tried to assist you so far.”

His words evoked a jab of guilt, and Yuuri felt the tenseness leave his shoulders. 

"Yuuri has only been unkind to me," the student said with a pout. "I only want to be friends."

He... really shouldn’t be so distrusting. He was trying to bring people together, not drive them apart. An image flicked in his mind, one of his newly made friends, and he felt his resolve waver. But there was something he needed to address.

“You’re an Alpha.” Yuuri stated firmly. “Why would you lie?” 

Evgeni sighed softly, rubbing at his neck. The vibrant red mark nestled just below his Adam’s apple served as a reminder of his mistake, a moment of thoughtlessness, and Yuuri felt a small pang of remorse. 

“I thought you’d be more willing to trust me.” The student professed, giving an embarrassed laugh. “You’d be far more guarded around me if you knew I was an Alpha right off the bat.”

That held some truth, but Yuuri was sure that this person wasn’t that dense. From the countless conversations he’s had with him online, the person before him was far from how the anonymous user seemed to be.

“You knew that wouldn’t work, I would have found out sooner or later.”

The student shrugged, a sheepish smile tugging at his lips. “I guess I didn’t really think ahead.”

Surely. 

“You’ve been messaging me online.” Yuuri murmured, wringing his hands. “Why were you so secretive about it?"

Evgeni's smile thinned to a line, and he turned his eyes to the ceiling in thought.

"Why wouldn't I be?" The student hummed after a pause. "What if the government came after me for this?"

Yuuri didn't like what he was alluding to, not in the least bit. 

"You didn't seem so concerned with associating yourself with me back in the lecture theatre," Yuuri said cuttingly. "So why the pretence before?"

Yuuri thought he saw a ghost of a smirk. But he must have been hallucinating, for the student was now wearing a serious frown.

"The other Alphas wouldn't like it if they knew I sided with you," Evgeni said. "They dislike your particular brand of justice."

Evidently, but he was still unconvinced. 

"If you just wanted to be a friend, you needn't go to such lengths." Yuuri replied, turning his phone over in his hands. "Unless..."

He trailed off, meeting the Alpha's gaze critically. 

"...you feel that supporting what I stand for is something you should be ashamed about." 

Evgeni spluttered. 

"Of course not!" He exclaimed, pushing himself off the wall. "You have no idea how much I admire you!"

"Then why did you lie?" Yuuri repeated with a frown. Evgeni went uncharacteristically silent. 

"The same reason you did." 

Yuuri blinked, taken aback. A cold chill scuttled up his spine, rattling his already weary nerves. 

"Why would you lie about having a mate, Yuuri?" 

Yuuri's eyes widened fractionally. How... how did he know? The initial shock wore off as quickly as it had come, and Yuuri was quick to wipe the stricken expression off his face. 

But he hadn't been fast enough.

Evgeni was smiling with his eyes, and Yuuri had never thought that one's gaze could be so heated yet cold at the same time.

"I wasn't lying." He countered, but it felt weak, like he hadn't even been trying. Hell, even he wouldn't believe himself at that moment.

"But Yuuri, you aren't mated."

The lump in his throat only grew more pronounced with each time he attempted to dodge the bullet.

"I am." Yuuri insisted, glaring at the other student defiantly. "Who are you to accuse me of something like that?"

Evgeni's smile almost seemed to turn sour. 

"It's been spread among the Alphas for some time now." The student replied impassively. "You haven't been very careful, Yuuri."

Every word felt like a death sentence. 

"I don't believe that." He continued doggedly. "It's not true."

Evgeni's expression shifted slightly, growing a little more distant. A tad bit crueler. 

"Have you met Nicholas, Yuuri?" 

Yuuri felt the blood drain from his face. He slapped a hand over his scent glands when a numbing realisation dawned on him, feeling very much like he had stepped into the lion's den. 

"You tricked me," Yuuri croaked. "When I carried you here... you used that as an excuse to get close to me."

One mistake after another. This wasn't like him. 

"I wouldn't say that." The student replied, shaking his head. "You see, I'm awfully concerned for you."

"Cut the bullshit," Yuuri snapped. "I'm not daft, and neither are you."

There it was again, Yuuri thought. The shift in Evgeni's expression. It was subtle, a twitch that one would easily miss, but it was a slip all the same.

"Alright, _Yuuri_. I'll tell you what I want."

Yuuri didn't like the way he enunciated his name. Evgeni narrowed his eyes, very much like how a serpent would watch a prospective prey. 

"I want to help you through your heat."

That confirmed his suspicions. What else would any Alpha desire from an Omega, if not sexual favours? 

"No thank you," Yuuri stated. "I don't need any help with it."

Evgeni sighed, tugging at the strands of his hair. "What a pity. Let's hope the law won't catch you for this."

A barely concealed threat. Yuuri clenched his fists, mind racing. Like any other cornered rat, he had a few tricks up his sleeve- Evgeni did not hold all the cards in this game of theirs.

If he claimed that all the Alphas knew of his circumstances, his secret would not be safe, even if he chose to oblige to his demands in the end. For the Alpha to be so confident, it could only mean that he headed the group of Alphas that had been antagonizing him at any available opportunity. It would also mean that he was in fact, supporting the government.

Evgeni smirked. "So what do you say?"

No, Evgeni did not offer to spend his heat with him out of concern. 

"You..." Yuuri began, looking up at the Alpha. 

Evgeni wanted to make him an example. The student was so sure that he was going to give in. He could see it in his prudish smile, and a spike of anger punctuated his next words. 

"You are one hell of a cocky bastard."

The student's smile dropped.

"Who do you think you're trying to fool?" Yuuri snapped. "Do you really think that you are entitled to do whatever you want, just because you found some dirt on me?"

All apprehension was thrown out of the window. He would not stand for anyone, much less any Alpha, who thought themselves deserving of anything just because of their status.

Yuuri stepped forward, pressing a finger into his chest. "I have news for you."

Such people infuriated him to no end.

He pulled the other down by the collar of his shirt, noting the widening of the other's eyes as he brought the Alpha close to his neck. 

"The truth is, you don't have anything on me other than dodgy rumours about my mate." Yuuri muttered lowly, and Evgeni drew in a long shuddering breath. "And if you think I am so simple, so _stupid_ to eat up your lies just because I'm an Omega, you've got another think coming."

Yuuri released his hold on his shirt after he was done, pushing the Alpha away roughly. 

Evgeni was stunned, and Yuuri exhaled sharply, clearing the other's scent from his nose. 

"Stay away from me." Yuuri growled, making to leave the room. "You're no different from those Alphas."

Evgeni allowed a small smile to grace his lips when the Omega vanished from his sight. He straightened his collar, patting down his shirt with a chuckle.

"Your defiance only makes you all the more desirable. I wonder if you know that, Yuuri."

* * *

The nerve of him. The absolute, fucking nerve of the Alpha to try to deceive him just so he could claim him as his mate. 

Yuuri fumed, storming down the corridor with quick strides. He'd even consider taking a break from college for his heat. At the rate of which things were going, he'd only stand to suffer more if he spent his heat here. 

"Yuuri- woah!"

Phichit walked right into him, and both students tumbled to the floor with a pained groan. 

Yuuri blinked, rubbing his eyes. When he took in the image of his friend before him, he clasped a hand over his mouth, taking several deep breaths. 

"You didn't reply me after that." Phichit said, his eyes wide. "We were all worried."

Yuuri pulled himself off the floor, helping his friend up with a hand. 

"I'm sorry." He breathed, feeling slightly dizzy. "It was nothing, I didn't mean to alarm you."

Phichit looked like he had something to say, but he closed his mouth with a snap, leaning closer. He sniffed, swiping a finger across his nose when he moved away.

"Yuuri." His friend said, and Yuuri knew he was concerned even before he spoke. "You're not on your heat, are you?"

Yuuri glanced around the corridor furtively. "Actually... I need to speak to you about it."

Phichit seemed to know right away. The Beta took his wrist gently, leading him in the direction of their dorms.

"Hey." Phichit said, keeping his voice low. "You've never been to my room before, have you?"

Yuuri shook his head, feeling light-headed.

The Beta laughed, but Yuuri did not miss the way his friend looked over him uneasily. "You should really see it. A Beta's room is different from yours."

He wanted to nod, any indication to show his friend that he was still listening. But the ground swayed beneath his feet, and the grip around his arm only tightened. 

"Yuuri. Keep talking to me." 

As his heightened nerves melted away, he could distinctly feel the rapid palpitations of his heart.

"Are you listening?" 

Yuuri looked up, staggering to a stop. Phichit's brows were creased with worry, and his friend rested his hands on his shoulders. 

The touch seemed to keep him grounded, and he realised that he had been wobbling on his feet all the while.

"It's not far away." At Yuuri's confused blink, Phichit looped an arm around his waist for support. "My room, Yuuri. My room."

They continued to their destination after that, and the Beta had been careful to avoid the crowded hallways. The detour was longer, and Phichit had been chattering his ear off the entire while, shaking him awake each time he nodded off.

The Beta had been blabbering about the most unimportant of things, from details of his day to a particularly funny joke Leo made. Yuuri tried to hold onto his words, but his sudden fatigue made it difficult for him to stay conscious. 

"-and you know how Leo is, he ducked under the table-"

The sharp jolt of pain in his groin sent him bending over. Of all times, why now- 

"I can't hold your entire weight. Stay with me, just for a few more minutes."

After they had finally made it to the Beta's room, Yuuri collapsed against the dresser, gripping onto it for support. His reflection stared right back at him, a ghastly white copy of his own face, and he realised why his friend had been so worried.

"You look terrible." Phichit exclaimed, once he had shut and bolted the door. "What on earth happened? Is it your heat?"

Yuuri could only nod. His friend guided him over to the bed, and he sank into the comforters with a groan of relief. 

"I don't think my heat is here yet," Yuuri grunted. "It's just... slightly triggered."

If possible, Phichit looked even more concerned.

"Where's your Alpha?" The Beta said, urgency in his tone. "I can call him if you like-"

He needed his phone, but for a different reason. He needed to block Anon.

Phichit picked his phone from his pocket before he could reach for it himself, scrolling through his contacts quickly. "Yuuri, which one?"

"I don't have one."

The Beta paused, and Yuuri withdrew his arm with a sigh. "I don't have one, Phichit."

He instantly regretted dropping the bomb on the Beta so suddenly, because his friend was now gaping at him like a fish out of water. "You... what?"

Yuuri chewed his lip, averting his gaze.

"You don't have an Alpha?" Phichit now looked more alarmed than ever. "Why? What happened to them?"

"Nothing." Yuuri said, cutting his friend off. "...I never had one."

The Beta gasped. "How? I thought all Omegas, under the policy-"

Yuuri held a finger to his lips, looking to his friend pleadingly. "You're the first I've told."

The Beta clammed up then, blinking at the Omega disbelievingly. 

"What...?" Phichit said after a moment of silence, studying him with a fresh sort of interest. "Yuuri, you broke the law?"

"My family." Yuuri said softly, reveling in the pang of nostalgia. "They wanted me to live freely. My parents have seen enough to know that the policy would be detrimental to my growth."

The Beta hesitated. "Yuuri... you're playing with fire. If the government finds out, you'll be thrown in jail."

Yuuri nodded, tearing open a packet with shaky fingers. He only had a few more suppressants left. One more couldn't hurt, could it?

Phichit refrained from saying anything as he popped the white pill into his mouth, handing him an unopened bottle. 

The water cooled his burning throat, washing down the bitter taste on his tongue. It settled in his belly like an icy stone, and he fell back onto the bed with a groan.

"We'll talk later." He remembered his friend saying, before the tides of exhaustion tugged him into a sleepless slumber. "I'll be here."

* * *

His sleep was restless. The dreams that plagued him were laced with trepidation and horror, bearing an uncanny resemblance to memories of days long past.

He woke up heaving, brown eyes wide and unblinking at the ceiling. His forehead was matted with sweat, and he was vaguely aware of how damp and heated his neck felt against his fingertips.

Gentle snores met his ears, and he realised that his friend must have dozed off sometime after he had fallen unconscious.

Phichit had pulled a chair by his bed, propping his head up with an arm rested on the nightstand. It couldn't have been comfortable, he thought, to have fallen asleep in a position like that.

His limbs tingled with a numbness that he had grown accustomed to, a common after-effect of ingesting suppressants. The pain was gone, however, and the haze in his mind had cleared. He could think properly, now.

His heat hadn't arrived yet, and Yuuri knew that much. Such false alarms were not uncommon, a product of early stimulation or arousal, but the cause of it was still concerning.

Only an Alpha could have such a prominent effect on his heat, and Yuuri cussed under his breath when the notion came to mind.

It must be Evgeni, it could only be him. He had tried to keep up a strong front when they bickered, but now that he was out of danger- and his body knew it too- there had been a delay in his bodily reaction to the Alpha's presence. 

Evgeni must have used scent enhancers and for some reason, his body was reacting to it particularly badly. He's met his fair share of Alphas in his life, but none of their scents stood out like his had. 

"Yuuri?"

The soft call snapped him out of his thoughts. His friend was awake now, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "Are you feeling better?"

Yuuri's expression softened. "I'm fine."

His friend stretched his back with a sigh. "You had me really worried there. I even thought of calling for the doctor."

Yuuri bit his lip, looking away. "I'm sorry. I really shouldn't be causing so much trouble for you."

His friend waved a hand dismissively.

"No, I'm far from troubled." Phichit replied, sporting an easy smile. "You should take care of yourself more."

Yuuri nodded groggily, and his friend seemed hesitant to continue.

"Yuuri... about what you said before." 

That's right, he had revealed it to his friend. Phichit shifted uncomfortably. "Isn't it difficult to hide it?" 

At his nod of affirmation, the Beta frowned. "Then... why?" 

"I'd rather be a rebel than a slave." Yuuri bit out, digging his fingers into the sheets. "I won't be a slave to the system, not when it's so unfair."

His friend didn't reply, and Yuuri lifted his head slightly to see other watching him through the quiet.

"That's very admirable." The Beta said, when their gazes met. "I've never known someone as determined as you, Yuuri."

Yuuri paused, dropping his gaze to the sheets. "I never wanted to be an Omega. After I knew how we were treated, I scorned being an Omega."

"Then I told myself, this wasn't right. It's terrifying, to hate yourself and the skin you were born in."

The Beta's expression softened. "Yuuri..."

Yuuri clenched his fists. "It's ridiculous that we Omegas are treated like the property of Alphas, even though we are no lesser human beings than they are."

"That's why I want to change the way this society is governed. I want to fight for my rights, no matter how much of a fool I may seem to others."

He smiled grimly, staring at a point over his friend's shoulder. "Because if I don't do it, who else would step up to the plate? There's no use in sitting around and waiting for salvation, because none will come."

Phichit hummed along in thought.

"We must be the change we wish to see in this world." The Beta echoed, turning to the Omega with a bright smile. "That's it, isn't it?"

Yuuri leaned back in surprise, and the Beta laughed.

"And I will do anything in my power to help you," Phichit beamed. 

He leaned in to clasp their hands together, brimming with excitement. "It would be an honour to help someone like you achieve something most of us have yearned for, albeit not having the courage to do something about it."

Yuuri was unsure how to react. He had never been shown such support and kindness from anyone else other than his family before, and Phichit's compassion came as quite the shock to him.

His friend simply pulled away, tapping him on his nose. "Yuuri, what are friends for?"

He felt a familiar warmth stir, and he lowered his head, hiding his face with his bangs. 

"...thank you."

* * *

It's been bugging him for some time now. His phone had been strangely silent, and the messages that he so frequently received from his blog had all but disappeared.

Yuuri thought nothing of it at first, crediting it to the fact that he hadn't posted anything on his blog for a few days. But as he would soon come to realise, his guess could not be further from the truth. 

Trying to enter his blog was a confusing affair, and he could not seem to find the domain no matter how hard he tried. It was as if the entire log had vanished into thin air. 

He swallowed, letting the slow burn of panic engulf his senses.

There was no way, absolutely no way. Yurio had kept it as secure as possible, erecting an impenetrable firewall to protect the website from any hackers. 

The cracks at the corner of the screen hadn't been much of a bother. But as the blank screen displaying his site persisted, the metamorphic pieces of the puzzle fell into place. 

Yuuri scowled, standing from his seat abruptly. This disturbed the Betas he was seated with, and Phichit stood as well, regarding him worriedly. 

"I have to go somewhere." Yuuri said, leaving without another word.

His phone buzzed as he meandered through the hallways, messages from his concerned friend. 

_phitchit+chuchu : Are you okay? Is it your heat?_

_You : No, I just need to find someone._

He tried to enter his blog again, only to no avail. It wasn't a suspicion anymore, he was fairly certain that someone had tampered with it. 

Another buzz, and Yuuri checked the message before tucking the device away.

_phichit+chuchu : Oookay, be careful!!_

Yuuri was sure the Beta would be more concerned if he knew where he was headed. But he didn't want to burden his friend more than he already did, seeing that he had spent almost the entire day at his room a day prior.

The Alphas mostly gathered at the canteens, while the Betas and Omegas took comfort in settling at the various cafes skirting the main blocks of the different schools and faculties.

Of course, there were exceptions taking the form of Betas and Alphas who were comfortable mingling with the other secondary genders- but it wasn't a wise move. Out of the lot, Alphas were the most prideful ones, and they tended to bond over similar value systems that segregated them from the other genders.

Being the only Omega in the entire faculty to walk through these crowded premises during the lunch break was, quite literally, akin to dangling a fresh piece of livestock above the mouth of a famished lion. 

Several Alphas stopped in their tracks, and Yuuri groaned inwardly when he noticed that some had begun to tail him.

It was a terrible idea. But from what he knew of the Alpha he was searching for, he had nothing to worry about. That is, if he could only find him.

"Yuuri, was it?" A hand fell on his shoulder, forcing him to turn around. An Alpha stood before him, grinning with a kind of hunger that was lighted in the eyes of the many Alphas surrounding them.

Yuuri frowned, twisting himself free. The Alpha simply shrugged, burying his hands into the pocket of his hoodie. "You've got guts, coming here alone." 

He spotted a familiar redhead leaning against the wall with the same group that poked fun at him during a lecture. They were all watching him as they usually did, but there was something different in the way they eyed him.

"I'm looking for someone," Yuuri said firmly. "If you can't point me to him, I suggest you kindly back off."

The Alpha snorted. "Those are mighty words, coming from an Omega who should stay where he belongs."

Yuuri decided to ignore the Alpha, but bumped into a body when he turned to leave.

"Sorry to break to to you." Another female Alpha said, resting an elbow on his shoulder in an overly friendly gesture. "But we're not very kind."

The Alphas were steadily closing in on him. 

Familiar viridian irises met his, and he found Nicholas standing by the redhead from before. Of all people, he would expect the blond to be pleasantly surprised by this turn of events. It struck him as odd, however, to see the Alpha frowning.

But this was not the time to dwell on such matters.

Yuuri saw an opening in the growing crowd, making a run for it. He avoided the numerous hands that swiped at him, shutting away the crows of laughter that resonated through the canteen. 

He always seemed to be at the wrong place, at the wrong time, and he had no one else to blame but his ill luck. Or his own carelessness, because it was stupid of him to venture into Alpha territory on his own. 

Yuuri paused, ducking into the only stairway leading out of the canteen. This wasn't like him. It wasn't like him to be so careless, and this series of unfortunate events only began when he started to feel the stirrings of his heat. 

But was his heat so crippling to erode his sense of judgement?

He should have texted Yurio first. He sent a message to the blond after that thought, receiving a reply only a few seconds later. 

_Yurio : yeah._

_Yurio : your blog was hacked_

_You : Any idea how?_

_Yurio : someone must have taken your phone_

_Yurio : did you lose your phone before this_

_You : Yeah, I'm searching for the person now._

Yuuri waited a minute, but no reply came after that. It wasn't unlike the blond to drift off halfway through conversations, but he couldn't have done it at a worse time. 

Impatient, he sent another message.

_You : Do you have a backup saved somewhere?_

Again, there was no reply. After a couple of minutes, his phone finally vibrated with a new notification.

_Yurio : are you in school_

_You : Yeah, above the canteen._

Yurio drifted off again after that, and Yuuri found himself staring at his phone helplessly. 

He had half the mind to phone the blond, but he'd rather not bother him if he was busy. He did mention that he was bogged down by the multiple modules he had taken, and the last thing he wanted was to provoke him. 

So lost in his thoughts he was, that he failed to notice his company immediately. 

Yuuri smelt him even before he saw him. 

A shadow enveloped his vision, blinding him. He seized up with panic, and it took him a few good seconds to recognise the touch of skin against his eyelids. 

Yuuri yelped, dropping his phone as he reached up to pry away the hand covering his eyes. The sound of metal hitting solid concrete did not come, and an arm reached around him, pinning his arms in place.

"This is such a dangerous place to be, you know?"

Yuuri held back a gasp at how close the voice sounded. His heart rate was speeding up with each passing second, and he dreaded to know the amount of nervous phermones he must be exuding.

"H-how did you," Yuuri stuttered, "I was just looking for you!"

"So I came," Evgeni replied easily, as if it was the simplest question he had ever been asked. "So what's the matter, Kobuta-chan?"

"You know why I'm here." Yuuri snapped with an angry flush. "You made it so that I'll come to find you."

"Oh?" Yuuri could practically hear the smile in his voice. "Why would you say that?"

"Because-"

Yuuri cut himself off when he was dragged in an arbitrary direction, but with the hand still clamped firmly over his eyes, he couldn't tell where they were headed. 

"Let's go somewhere more comfortable." The Alpha said cheerfully. "It's silly just standing about."

He tried to shake the Alpha off, but the lack of sight disorientated him, and the scent that saturated the air was distracting. 

"Release me," Yuuri hissed. "Unhand me or I'll scream."

"But no one would hear you, Yuuri. And even if they did, who would come to your aid?"

Yuuri exhaled shakily. The hand was removed, and his glasses fell back into place to reveal the cheeky grin of the perpetrator.

"I'm just joking." 

Yuuri punched the Alpha without a second thought.

Evgeni reeled back, holding a hand to his cheek as he stumbled against a wall. 

"Fuck." Evgeni growled. He looked up, meeting his gaze with one so sinister that it sent chills down his back. 

It was hard to believe that the two expressions from before belonged to the same person.

"How many masks are you wearing?" Yuuri demanded, withdrawing his fist to ready himself for another. "This is all just a game to you, isn't it?"

Evgeni remained silent, touching the reddening bruise on his face.

"You took my phone when I was in the infirmary," Yuuri continued. "I didn't drop my phone. You smashed the screen when you couldn't figure out the mechanics of my blog."

Evgeni looked to him then, voice dangerously low.

"You punched me." The Alpha proclaimed, the shock on his face dissolving into rage. "You actually punched me."

"That's not what I..." Yuuri trailed off when the Alpha stood, advancing towards him. "Don't divert the topic. You hacked into my blog-"

"I did no such thing." 

The Alpha looked so indignant then, that any accusations Yuuri had died on his tongue. 

"I knew that your blog was hacked because I've been following it for so long." Evgeni scowled. "I kept a backup of it because I predicted that this might happen."

Yuuri felt a twinge of guilt. "You... you kept a backup of the website?"

The Alpha nodded, and Yuuri felt his heart sink. It was possible that he had wronged Evgeni this entire time. 

"I... well." Yuuri teetered on the spot, unsure of how to react. "You... you were trying to help me with it?" 

"Yes," Evgeni replied. "I'm still willing to help you set up your blog again, that is if you'll let me."

Oddly enough, the Alpha didn't seem mad anymore. 

"Oh." Yuuri said, and it was so painfully awkward that any tension from before was made non-existent. "I'll be grateful if you did."

Evgeni grinned. "It'll be my pleasure."

* * *

_Yurio : piggy, you there?_

Finally, a reply. Yuuri checked the time, frowning. It's been about an hour since then.

_You : Yeah, I'm fine. What took you so long?_

_Yurio : my grandpa called _

_Yurio : what's going on over there_

_You : It's okay, someone offered to help me backup the lost data. I'll see what he can do first._

_Yurio : oh okay_

Yuuri scrolled through the conversation thread as he waited for Evgeni to return to the IT lab. The Alpha had run off to fetch his external hard drive, promising to return quickly. 

His phone lighted up as he replaced it on the table, just as he was about to log into the website.

_Yurio : sorry._

Yuuri chuckled under his breath. The blond never did come off as someone who would apologise so easily. Besides, there was nothing for him to feel sorry over.

_You : Your grandfather is more important, it's perfectly okay. I'm fine._

He placed his phone away after that, keeping an ear out for the Alpha who would be returning to the lab.

Everything was going to be fine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is that so, Yuuri?
> 
> Also, thank you for the support last chapter!! :') Updates will resume as per normal (I hope). Stay along with me for the ride!
> 
> edit: A little warning, the comments may have spoilers, though for major ones I will indicate it at the start of the comment. (Okay edit: Prepare to be spoiled if you read the comments.)


	9. Heart on Sleeves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "When the hard approach fails..."

_Yurio : i lost the backup_

_Yurio : hopefully he can help you with it_

It would take at least a few hours to transfer the backup files into the corrupt database. 

He had been on high alert while waiting for Evgeni's return, lest the Alpha tricked him. The soft whirring of fans filled the otherwise quiet room, lifting the fog in his head and amplifying his thoughts.

Free period. Both of them had it, given how similar their timetables were in the first place. Evgeni was taking the same major as he was, with majority of his selected electives bearing an uncanny resemblance to his own.

He was cautious up to this point, but the conversation they had in the hallway prior to arriving at the IT labs assuaged some of his concerns.

* * *

_"Are you frightened of me?"_

_The Alpha paused in his steps, turning around to flash him a smile. Yuuri had stopped as well to maintain the distance he had placed between them both, eyes hard with a distrust that had always been there._

_"Hmm?" Evgeni hummed, tilting his head to the side. "You needn't be."_

_"You're weird." Yuuri finally said, after a pause. He shifted to the side, tucking his hands in his pockets. "Why are you so set on helping me?"_

_Evgeni moved to face him fully, leaning against the wall with a soft sigh. He seemed to change his mind after a moment of thought, eyes lighting up with a sparkle._

_"Because I like you, Yuuri."_

_Yuuri simply stared at the Alpha, uncomprehending._

_"That's why I wanted to help you with your heat." Evgeni said, expression softening. "I may have come on too strong earlier, and I apologise for that."_

_Yuuri balked at his words, knowing that the Alpha could see right through his hesitance._

_"I was never going to expose you."_

_"I still don't believe that." Yuuri stated uncertainly, glancing down both ends of the hallway in a sudden bout of uneasiness. "I don't know what to believe anymore."_

_A serene smile spread across his face, and the Alpha dipped his head to meet his gaze._

_"You can make your decision after I help you restore your website," Evgeni suggested gently. "Sound good?"_

_Yuuri realised that the Alpha had crept closer to him sometime during their conversation, and now that his head had cleared he noticed something else. More specifically, the near absence of it._

_"Why are you suppressing your scent again?"_

_Evgeni blinked in surprise at the sudden diversion of topic._

_"I thought you didn't like it," he answered. "You reacted adversely to it when you found out I was an Alpha."_

_"No. I reacted that way because you lied," Yuuri corrected. "You lied to get me to trust you."_

_Evgeni looked almost remorseful. "I...was wrong to do that," he admitted with a frown. "I didn't think things through."_

_He fidgeted under the Omega's stare, rocking on the balls of his feet._

_"But I really mean well," Evgeni stressed. "And I hope you can overlook this one mistake of mine. It's unfair to make a judgement of me all on one bad decision I made, Yuuri."_

_It wasn't fair, and Yuuri knew that as well as the next person. He looked to the Alpha and felt an echo of himself, an echo of misunderstanding and desperation, and he made up his mind._

_"Alright." He found himself acquiescing, in a low mutter. "I'll see how you do."_

_Evgeni smiled that pretty little smile of his, and suddenly the blue of his eyes didn't seem all that cold anymore. "I'm glad."_

* * *

If Yuuri had a choice, he would've never wanted for things to end up this way. 

He hated feeling apprehensive of Alphas all because they gave him an endless supply of reasons to fear them and despite it all, despite everything he had been through, he did not wish to have preconceived and biased views of a particular secondary gender.

He did not want to misjudge others, to be irrational like the majority of Alphas in this society were. 

"Hey, Yuuri."

Yuuri looked up from the screen to see Evgeni closing the door behind him, waving a hard disk in his hand.

The Alpha's face was flushed, and it was obvious that he ran the distance here. Yuuri gave him a tentative smile in return, fetching the usb cable from under the table. 

His decision to trust Yurio from before had proved to be one that he had not regretted in the least. The blond Alpha was different from the rest, and while he was inclined to believe otherwise from his experiences with other Alphas- the very least he could do was to give another person a chance. 

"You should double check it." Evgeni said, connecting the hard drive to the computer. Yuuri took the mouse from the Alpha, mindful of how close they were as he leaned in.

"That's the latest version of the site." Yuuri muttered, thumbing his lip in pensively. He scanned through the files, hope blossoming in his chest with each updated icon that caught his eye. 

Evgeni drummed his fingers on the table, allowing a small smile to flit across his lips when the Omega brightened up visibly. 

"I've been keeping track of it." Evgeni said, delivering a flirtatious wink when Yuuri turned those eyes- still sparkling in wonder- at him.

The Omega blinked then, as if he'd been snapped out of a trance. He released the mouse, turning to face the Alpha who was seated beside him. 

Brown eyes that were still soft with a smidgen of guilt appraised the Alpha with a new sort of flair, and Yuuri blew out his cheeks with a slow exhale. 

"I shouldn't have punched you." Yuuri began, averting his gaze. "I'm sorry for that."

Evgeni shook his head, chuckling under his breath. "You shouldn't worry about that."

"But you shouldn't have ambushed me like that," Yuuri added with a frown. "How did you find me?"

"My friends," The Alpha remarked offhandedly. "They swarm to drama like bees to honey, and I've to clean up for them all the time."

Yuuri's face fell at the mention of the other Alphas, and Evgeni tried to take back his words hurriedly.

"Ah, they won't understand your actions." He said, waving his hands back and forth in a feeble gesture. "They feel self-assured because they've never met someone like you, Yuuri."

Yuuri's gaze slid to the door somberly. 

"They feel threatened." Yuuri said, pursing his lips. "Won't you agree?"

Evgeni twitched almost indiscernibly when the Omega wasn't looking, eyes flashing with an unknown emotion. 

"Why would you say that, Yuuri?"

Yuuri turned back to him and the Alpha blinked once, looking amiable again.

"Most Alphas don't have mates under The Breeding Act as they outnumber Omegas greatly," Yuuri replied. 

"Society has a knack for dehumanizing us, and it's easy for them to do so when a majority of the Alphas have never interacted with an Omega their age before. And those Alphas who do have mates are not much different either, as they have been used to seeing Omegas as lesser beings for far too long." 

Evgeni cocked a brow. "Is that so?"

“When society starts treating them as less than what they are actually worth at such a fragile age, it’s no wonder that they start believing it themselves too.” Yuuri groused, frowning at the Alpha. “The government purposely targeted this age group knowing that their minds were most malleable and impressionable, and forcing them to be paired with an Alpha made them feel inferior.”

“An inferiority complex?” Evgeni repeated, looking bored. “What an excuse.”

Yuuri narrowed his eyes. “No, but perhaps you might be more familiar with the term Stockholm syndrome.”

The Alpha seemed to straighten up at that, watching him carefully.

“The Act exists solely to play on the fact that Omegas are inherently more passionate, and was likely to develop feelings for someone they are forced to be with, even if their Alpha did not treat them right,” Yuuri muttered. “And with that in motion, they would feel obliged to stay with the Alpha even after the Alpha’s family loses custody of them when they turned twenty-one.”

Under Evgeni’s sharp gaze, Yuuri was reminded of how the anonymous user- now that he knew their identity- had always been vague on their stance during similar discussions.

He turned to the Alpha with a frown. "Well, what do _you_ think of The Breeding Act?" 

"What do I think of the Act?"

Yuuri hummed in agreement. "You never did express your stand on this issue."

Evgeni laughed lightly. "Well, of course I have to disagree with the passing of the Bill. But does my opinion matter?"

"Of course it does," Yuuri insisted. "One shouldn't adopt such an indifferent attitude, even if they believe that they won't be able to change things."

Evgeni opened his mouth to speak, but Yuuri talked over him easily. 

"I want to change things." Yuuri continued, eyes hard with resolve. "I've seen how badly Omegas are treated, and I won't stand for it any longer."

The Alpha remained silent even after he had finished speaking, and Yuuri turned to address him then.

"What about you?" Yuuri questioned. "If you disagree with their actions, why not help us achieve the equality we yearn for?"

Evgeni glanced away, seemingly deep in thought. 

"The custody of an Omega child is given to their Alpha's family when they turn ten. This law was implemented to encourage more marriages between Alphas and Omegas by fostering attachment at a young age." 

Yuuri sniffed. “Bullshit.”

"With the mentality that they would grow to like each other, the Alpha's family is given the legal right to make decisions about the child's schooling, medical care and the sort up till they legally become an adult." 

Evgeni tilted his head to the side. "This Act has been standing for 24 years now. In the past decade, statistics have shown that Alpha-Omega marriages have become more popular, and the happiness index has risen overall."

Yuuri's face clouded over. "No," he said, cutting the other short. "The government only presents statistics that speak well of their decision."

A smile. "Oh?"

"Adult literacy rates have fallen to about 74% in the recent years, and net college enrolment rate has suffered." Yuuri scowled. "And that's only in the realm of education."

"Are you sure? Current adult literacy rates oscillate about a relatively consistent 88%, Yuuri."

Evgeni leaned against his chair, resting his cheek against the backrest with a lopsided smile. "Despite the shrinking labour force due to the fall in population, the government has invested adequately in human capital development to ensure a sustained rise in annual GDP under the Retraining Plus Scheme."

"The shrinking labour force was due to the increasing rate of unemployment among Omegas." Yuuri cut in heatedly, levelling a glare at the Alpha. "Depressed workers consist mainly of Omegas, who leave the labour force due to the preferential treatment."

"Yet standard of living has clearly risen. This is clearly shown by the increase in the country's national income."

"I don't disagree with the fact that material standard of living has risen," Yuuri countered, sensing the familiar sizzle of hostility. "But the government is pulling wool over our eyes, because non-material standard of living has only been deteriorating ever since the General Party was elected into the Parliament."

The Alpha whistled lowly, eyes shining with a peculiar light. "I'm impressed," Evgeni said with an odd smile. "You've dissected it well."

Yuuri's heated stare did not waver, and the tension in the room was near-palpable. 

"We're not done here." He said, narrowing his eyes at the Alpha. "You actually support the-"

Evgeni leaned forward suddenly and Yuuri froze, remaining shock-still in his chair as the Alpha brought his lips close to his ear. "You're really different from the rest, Yuuri."

Yuuri’s throat tightened, words coming out as an unintelligible stutter. Evgeni hovered over his shoulder for a few stifling seconds, voice a low baritone as he spoke. 

"And I really like that." 

If one could physically feel the colour red, the heat in his cheeks would be exactly it. Yuuri rolled back in his chair, mind drawing a complete blank as he inhaled sharply. 

While a visceral part of him crooned at the attention, a more rational part of him knew better.

"Kobuta-chan." 

Yuuri tried to calm the racing of his heart, but the deafening roar of blood in his ears did not make this feat any easier. 

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean make you mad," Evgeni said, trailing off into a whine when the Omega did not respond. "Please continue."

Evgeni was aware of the effect he had on him. At this point, he wasn't sure if he was playing right into his hands. The redness across his face had yet to fade, and Yuuri was sure that the other had noticed it too. 

"Yuuri." 

Yuuri turned to see Evgeni smiling at him all-knowingly, and the tension in the air dissolved into something else entirely. 

Warmth pooled in his belly when the Alpha leaned forward again, and Yuuri could only watch as he closed the distance between them with a smirk.

He knew exactly what Evgeni was doing. Yet for all of his knowledge and wit, he couldn't find the will to resist his advances.

"Won't you be my mate?"

Yuuri swallowed roughly, holding his breath as the Alpha drew closer. 

Several things happened at once. 

A loud ding broke through the quiet, startling them both. Yuuri gasped, throwing himself away from the Alpha when his brain caught up with him, sending the mouse clattering noisily to the floor. Evgeni simply flinched, vaguely annoyed at the disruption. 

His head cleared, and all of a sudden he could think properly again. Yuuri turned to the side, snatching up his neglected phone with trembling fingers.

_(3 missed calls & 4 new messages)_

_phichit+chuchu : Yuuri, are you okay??_

_phichit+chuchu : It's been close to two hours, tutorials have already ended!!_

_phichit+chuchu : I'm getting VERY worried here_

_phichit+chuchu : People say that they saw you near the IT labs with a friend, so I guess you're alright??_

He must have forgotten to set his cell off vibration for calls. Biting his lip, he sent a quick reply to his friend.

_You : I'm so sorry, I was busy_

_You : You didn't call for any teacher, did you?_

_phichit+chuchu : Thank god, Yuuri. I was searching the dorms for you_

_phichit+chuchu : And nO I ain't no snitch_

_phichit+chuchu : You were with an Alpha ;)_

Oh god, no. 

_phichit+chuchu : I'm just joking, you're okay right? The Alpha didn't do anything to you?_

_You : I'm fine. He's helping me with something._

_phichit+chuchu : tHank god_

_phichit+chuchu : Please don't disappear like that again, everyone was worried_

_phichit+chuchu : I was most worried of course_

_phichit+chuchu : But anyway, Leo has been asking for you. It seems pretty urgent!!_

Yuuri regained his clarity of thought quickly.

_You : Why, what’s wrong?_

_phichit+chuchu : Um,, something about you knowing about Georgi?_

Evgeni shifted beside him, and all of a sudden he could smell the other's scent with frightening clarity, reeking strongly of frustration. Yuuri stole an apprehensive glance at him, noting that the Alpha was staring at the computer screen impassively.

His face might be void of emotion, but his scent clearly said otherwise. 

_You : Okay, where do I meet him?_

_phichit+chuchu : He's at the dorms. Leo mentioned that he showed you his room before?_

Yuuri stood, painfully aware of the unhappy vibes emanating from the student seated beside him. The Alpha looked up when he moved, tilting his head questioningly. 

"I need to leave for a while." Yuuri said, nodding at the computer screen. "I'll be back soon."

The Alpha watched him for a moment. 

"I'll be here." Came the neutral reply, and Evgeni was smiling. "Do come back soon, though."

Yuuri closed the door behind him, suppressing the pang of warmth in his chest. His carnal needs were messing with his mind; he wasn't supposed to feel like that.

_You : I'm on the way._

It was too odd for it to just be the workings of his heat.

* * *

He noticed the stream of students rushing to the dorms even before he reached. Curious glances were sent his way as he pushed through the crowd, only to be met with a sight that he had never expected. 

Now, it wasn’t uncommon to see students brawling over the most inane of things, for most of the fights were started among temperamental Alphas who frequently clashed heads. What struck him as odd, however, was the rare sight of an Alpha facing off against a Beta in what seemed like a very strange placement of events.

Yelling could be heard, followed by several very disconcerting growls, and Yuuri felt his heart leap to his throat at the familiarity of the tones. With renewed urgency, he pushed his way to the front with relative ease, given that most of the students quickly parted when they recognised him. 

Two Alphas and one Beta. Wait, hold on just a minute. 

“Georgi.” Leo said, as calmly as he could. “Stop this, it’s unnecessary.”

Two Betas and One Alpha.

The raven-haired Beta was crouched in a peculiar stance, lowering himself close to the ground as he stared down the Alpha before him. Georgi’s face was twisted into a feral snarl, and Yuuri had to do a double take. There was something not quite right with him.

Leo’s cries fell on deaf ears. Georgi and the Alpha male started circling each other like hawks, and the surrounding students seemed to know, instinctively, that the entire matter was going downhill far too quickly. They stepped back, leaving Yuuri feeling very exposed in the clearing. 

“Yuuri.” Leo acknowledged, looking visibly relieved. 

On closer inspection, the Beta was clearly hurt. If the scratches on his neck and hands were any indication of the danger, Yuuri now knew why Leo had asked for him. 

His expression darkened as he pulled the dazed Beta to the side. “How did this happen?” 

It came out as more of a demand than he was meaning for it to sound, and Leo winced at his tone, shaking his head in denial.

“Those pills Georgi was taking.” Yuuri said quietly, seriousness in his tone. “What were they? Tell me the truth.”

Leo gulped audibly, averting his gaze with small, dejected sigh. “...Alpha hormone tablets.”

Yuuri’s frown only deepened, tensing when he recalled something he had found on the net. “Self-administered hormone therapy?”

Leo placed a finger to his lips, shoulders sagging in defeat. “We tried to warn him… but he wouldn’t listen.”

It was only then, did they finally notice that the two brawling behind them had gone silent, and a quick glance back confirmed his fears. They had left the area, probably to fight it out somewhere else. A small group of students followed suit with their mobiles out at ready, and they shared a worried look before running after them. 

“Someone already called a teacher.” The Beta informed, expression riddled with guilt. “I shouldn’t have let this happen.”

“Those pills are illegal, aren’t they?” Yuuri said softly. “Why did he have them?”

Leo scratched the back of his head, a troubled look crossing his features. “It’s a long story.”

“It’s one that I need to hear.” Yuuri pressed, meeting his quizzical stare. “Will you show them to me?”

* * *

Several notifications came through, and Yuuri felt a surge of relief when he was greeted by the familiar interface of his blog when he checked his phone. He quickened his pace, brisk walking to the place he had promised to return to.

Evidently, Evgeni had helped him set up the website again after the database had been restored. The efficiency of the entire process had his head spinning, for the Alpha had rectified the problem in a mere three hours. Again, a familiar emotion stirred within him, but he quashed it before it could surface. 

He had more concerning matters on his mind. 

After Leo had shown him the pills, he spilled the secret kept among several students in the university. Georgi’s ex-girlfriend was originally a Beta. She fell for another student while she was going out with him- and as fate would have it- she fell for an Alpha. 

But the Alpha only had eyes for Omegas, and in a fit of desperation she turned to the Internet for solutions after breaking up with Georgi. 

And thus it began, a sickening story of jealousy and rage. 

She began purchasing pills from the Deep Web, more specifically Omega hormone drugs, in order for her to obtain the much coveted affection of her crush. It worked, much to the surprise of those who knew of her doings, and she was able to conceal her identity as a Beta for a long time. 

Much to the dismay of the raven-haired Beta, they soon became a happy couple. The jealousy and rage corrupted him, birthing a sorrowful man bent on vengeance. He was quick to pick up her illicit acts, acquiring Alpha hormone drugs with some difficulty. But he was never the sharpest tool in the shed, and he had always been weak to his emotions, allowing it to cloud his logic more often than not.

He began taking these pills with the hope that he could one day compete with the Alpha that stole away his love, and the only way to do so was to match up to his secondary gender. 

Drunk on greed and desire, they began this game of cat and mouse, never quite getting anywhere but ruining their health all the same.

_“As friends, we hated seeing them destroy themselves over such a worthless cause,” the Beta said regretfully. “Yet we had our hands tied, unable to tell the adults who would undoubtedly bring this matter to the law.”_

It was all over now that Georgi had finally confronted the Alpha. The matter would be brought to the authorities, and it didn’t take a genius to figure out the problem with him. Georgi didn’t even scent as a Beta anymore, tricking Yuuri into believing he was an Alpha in a few instances. 

While this issue was settled in a less than desirable manner, Yuuri had more pertinent suspicions.

Someone had tipped him off about the existence of these pills before, and he had been sceptical of their claims until he had seen it with his very own eyes. 

_Did you know that the Government uses hormone pills for prostitution rings? You should check it out, Yuuri! If it’s you, people will definitely believe you once you expose them._

He needed to trace the origins of these pills. 

_16:54_

_yuri-p : send me a picture of it_

Yuuri turned the bottle over in his hands, snapping a picture of the discoloured label. The blond Alpha had insisted on messaging him through his blog after he had turned to him for help. The Deep Web was difficult to access, but with Yurio it would be as easy as taking candy from a baby. 

_16:55_

_You : (sent a picture)_

_yuri-p : okay, will do_

Evgeni was still there, sitting exactly where he had left him. Though he had dozed off, cradling his head in his arms as he slept on peacefully. 

The student must be pretty apt with technology himself, if he was able to complete the task during the short time Yuuri was gone. His skill could almost rival Yurio's, and the blond had been the best he had ever met.

Yuuri found himself gravitating to the Alpha, being careful not to rouse him from his slumber. He took the task upon himself to check through the blog, and after affirming that everything was indeed in place he felt another wave of relief wash over him. 

Everything was fine, he just needed to reprogram the site's password and amend the link. Hackers wouldn't be able to track them down again so easily. 

Yuuri sneaked a glance at the silver-haired student, watching the gentle rise and fall of his back as he remained oblivious to his presence. 

Begrudgingly, he would admit that Evgeni was attractive. Despite being an Alpha, he lacked the masculine and chiselled features characteristic of their kind. If it wasn’t for his domineering scent, anyone would be led to believe otherwise. 

He looked delicate when he was asleep, almost vulnerable even, with a fresh-faced likeness to an Omega.

Out of curiosity, he reached out to touch a few lustrous strands. It felt light and silky between his fingers, as if he had plucked it right off the finest spool of thread in the country. Such a rare shade, it really was. 

He distantly remembered seeing a passage on it in a tome he had picked off the library shelves during his Junior High days, when his hunger for knowledge on social stratification led him to his discovery of the class system.

Most of the people in the country were born with jet black locks, save for the Westerners- mostly Russians- who had flooded into the country after the current PM relaxed immigration laws. But of all the people he had ever laid eyes upon, he had never seen anyone with such an outlandish hair colour.

Yuuri blinked, pulling away when he realised what he had been doing. The strands slid out of his grasp, framing the Alpha's slender face impeccably. The colour suited him well, and Yuuri couldn’t imagine any other person who could pull it off with the same immeasurable beauty the student possessed. 

He was behaving strangely. With that thought, Yuuri withdrew his hand like he had been burned, tucking it between his legs shamefully. 

A notification popped up on the computer screen the very same time his phone buzzed, and a quick check confirmed that a certain blond Alpha had replied to him on his blog.

_17:15_

_yuri-p : i found it._

_You : The pills? _

_yuri-p : yeah, you want it?_

_You : No, nothing like that! I was hoping that you could help me check if the government might be using them._

_17:16_

_yuri-p : the government...?_

_yuri-p : what the_

_yuri-p : he told you?_

_You : Huh, who?_

Yurio didn’t respond immediately, and he had been tempted to send another message when his phone buzzed again.

_17:18_

_yuri-p : who did you hear this from_

_You : Oh, someone on my blog. _

_17:19_

_You : Didn’t you see it too? There was quite a discourse on it._

_yuri-p : was busy_

_yuri-p : i see it now though_

_yuri-p : okay, i'll see what i can find_

_You : Thank you, Yurio._

The usual protests that followed the use of his detested moniker did not come, and Yuuri closed the conversation, shifting his gaze to the Alpha.

They locked eyes at once and Yuuri blinked, offering him a sheepish smile.

"Thanks for helping me set up the website," Yuuri said gratefully. "You're really more efficient than I thought."

Evgeni yawned lazily, making a show of stretching himself. He snuck a quick glance at Yuuri afterwards, ruminating momentarily before he responded. 

"You're very welcome, Yuuri." 

The Omega beamed at him, and the genuine emotion behind his pure smile caused the Alpha to falter. 

Icy blue eyes flickered with something akin to weariness, and for a moment Yuuri could have sworn that he glimpsed into the soul of someone who had seen and been through far too much.

But with a blink all trace of it was gone, and the Alpha was smiling again. 

Yuuri released a slow, stuttering breath. 

He knew that look. He had seen it countless times before, reflected in the jaded countenance of his parents whenever they discussed matters pertaining to his secondary gender. 

He had seen it in the mirror, in the dullness of his gaze, an unforgiving reminder of memories he couldn't quite forget.

He wasn't a stranger to that feeling.

Perhaps it was a profound understanding of his circumstances, or maybe it was simply a mark of someone who had been forced to mature beyond their years. 

And perhaps that was the reason why Yuuri found it particularly difficult to look away this time, intrigued by the waning sympathy in the other’s stare. 

Surprisingly, Evgeni had been the one to break his gaze. “Have you finished checking through it?” 

The playful lilt to his voice was gone, and the Alpha’s demeanour seemed to have changed drastically. 

Yuuri shook himself out of his musings, making quick work of doing one last final check of the website. “It’s fine. Thank you for this again.”

Evgeni smiled at the wall. “It’s only my pleasure.”

They parted ways soon after that. 

Yuuri had spent the rest of the day catching up with his followers, most of whom were worried sick about his temporary absence. He didn’t like chatting with people online, but he understood the importance of making connections, understood that it would stand to benefit him greatly in the future.

_22:53_

_yuri-p : i found out some things_

_yuri-p : so these pills are illegal, the government recalled them a few years ago just a few months after they were developed_

_yuri-p : currently only government owned clinics have access to them on case by case basis, but even so successful cases are not heard of_

_yuri-p : have you heard about the deep web?_

_22:55_

_You : Yes, my friends bought the pills in the picture from it._

_22:56_

_yuri-p : yeah, that's the only other alternative if you want to get them_

_yuri-p : your blog was made in a similar way, not discoverable by means of standard search engines or encrypted networks_

_yuri-p : but it's not as inaccessible as the deep web. your blog exists somewhere between it and a normal website_

_yuri-p : so it's unsurprising that someone on your blog would assume you knew of the deep web because you're doing something similar, so there's a high chance they are telling the truth about the pills _

_You : So that's why you decided to look into it._

_22:57_

_yuri-p : yeah._

_yuri-p : an abnormal amount of pills are bought from the deep web annually by different users, but they all end up at the same place_

_yuri-p : sex and prostitution rings are good guesses_

_22:58_

_yuri-p : it could be a private organisation, but i know the government would have eradicated them long ago if that was the case_

_23:00_

_You : So the government is behind this?_

_yuri-p : highly likely_

_23:01_

_yuri-p : are you going to find out for yourself?_

_You : What do you mean?_

_yuri-p : i got a lead while i was searching _

_yuri-p : there's a place in tokyo's red light district, i highly suspect there's something fishy going on _

_You : You want me to go undercover into the brothel and expose them?_

_23:02_

_yuri-p : just a suggestion_

_yuri-p : cuz if it turns out to be true you will gain major credit_

Yuuri hesitated then, going over the options in his head. What Yurio said was true. If he managed to expose the government’s indulgent acts, he would be one step ahead of them, and this will create an immense backlash that the government will struggle to recover from.

He could trust Yurio- that much he knew. 

_23:05_

_You : Alright, thanks for your hard work._

_yuri-p : …_

_yuri-p : don't you want to do some research yourself or something?_

_You : What for?_

_yuri-p : you trust this information that much?_

_yuri-p : you should check again for yourself_

_23:06_

_You : I’m sure Yurio did a better job than I could ever hope to have done._

_yuri-p : ...what?_

_You : It’s the truth, though. I doubt I will be able to find out more on the subject. You of all people should know how unskilled I am Internet wise._

_yuri-p : still you shouldn't be so_

_You : Besides, I trust you._

_yuri-p : you..._

_yuri-p : fuckin_

_yuri-p : argh_

_You : Huh?_

It was extremely risky. He had to plan his method of operation extensively, and he should be fine as long as no one recognised who he was. 

It wasn’t uncommon for Omegas to be seen in brothels, but if people knew of his identity as the Omega who had sparked the backlash against the government due to the grading system, he might be in serious trouble. 

Worst case scenario- politicians could be present there themselves, and he’d be thoroughly fucked. 

What an irony the last statement was.

_23: 27_

_You : Um...Yurio?_

Yuuri checked his phone again, only to see that his friend had not replied since the last message. He should be concerned, but then again it was becoming a common occurrence. 

His thoughts drifted to another Alpha, one that had been at the back of his mind ever since their parting. Yuuri frowned, shuffling through his memories of the day. 

He had been tapping away at his website as they headed towards the dorms together, when Evgeni presented him with a very vague question.

_“Why?”_

_Yuuri looked up from his phone to realise that the Alpha had been watching him the entire while. Before he could ask for a clarification, the student beat him to the punch._

_“Why are you doing this?”_

_Yuuri paused, confusion marring his features. “Doing what?”_

_"Trying to pursue a cause so pointless." Evgeni was staring intently at the floor, face partially concealed by his silver hair. "It's all useless in the end."_

_The last part was spoken so softly that anyone would've missed it, had they not been hanging on to every word._

_"...what?"_

_Evgeni seemed to hesitate then. “Nevermind, forget I said anything.”_

Now that he had allowed his thoughts to linger, the Alpha's demeanour seemed to have taken a complete one eighty ever since they had left the lab.

It wasn’t quite as disconcerting as how the Alpha used to act around him before- full of false cheer and pretence- but it was worth noting nonetheless.

It was in the way Evgeni gazed at him when he thought Yuuri wasn't looking, soft with a kind of heartfelt emotion he hadn't seen in years.

Was it pity that he saw in his eyes?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _The summary for this chapter is particularly important!_ "But it's only one line..." Yes.
> 
> Edit: Please check out my [Tumblr sideblog](https://chibifoxx-fic.tumblr.com/) for updates on this fic. (I'm trying something new)


	10. The Final Masquerade

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eventually all masks have to come off and all suffer, both the hunters and the hunted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long chapter, long wait. I really hope my efforts were worth it, I've never written a chapter this long.

"What?" Phichit shrieked, after Yuuri was done speaking. "You want to go undercover as a client? Into a brothel?"

Yuuri winced. "It's my only option."

His friend looked like he was about to have a fit. "What if it all goes wrong, Yuuri? What if they find out who you are?"

"Then it wouldn't matter, unless the government is involved in it." Yuuri replied. "No one will find out, anyway. I’ll be wearing a disguise."

Phichit let out a lengthy groan, planting his face onto the backrest of the chair.

"I know." The Omega said, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. "I know you think it’s foolish."

"Yuuri, you’re unmated. You’ll draw Alphas to you like moths to a flame." Phichit frowned. "If you go in there alone, even we can't help you."

“I know-”

Yuuri faltered when the Beta grabbed his shoulders, shaking him vigorously. "No, you don’t know. You don't have to go to such lengths just to prove yourself!"

"I'll be quick." Yuuri said quietly, lowering his friend's hands. "I'll talk to the Omegas there. It should be easy once I introduce myself."

Phichit gave him the once-over, lowering his gaze to the floor with a weary sigh. "You're not going to change your mind, are you?"

At the shake of his head, the Beta exhaled slowly through his fingers, taking deep measured breaths. "You're going to get yourself killed. You’re going to get yourself killed, Yuuri."

The Beta seemed crestfallen, and Yuuri felt a stab of guilt. "I'll be fine-"

"It could all be a trap." Phichit hissed. "You're placing an inordinate amount of trust in your friend."

"It's not entirely unwarranted," Yuuri tried. "I trust him."

Phichit stared at him unblinkingly. "You trust him. With your life, even?"

Yuuri hesitated.

"I hate to be the one to hold you back." Phichit said worriedly. "But your friend is an Alpha too, Yuuri. What if he-"

"No, he wouldn't." 

Yuuri paused, looking to the side as he racked his brain for the words to say. "He wouldn't do something like that. I know him well enough."

The Beta's expression softened. "But Yuuri, you'll never know."

"He wouldn't." Yuuri repeated, and it began to sound like he was trying to convince himself of the fact more than anything else. "Yurio's not that type of person."

Phichit glanced away, and Yuuri shifted his focus back to the topic at hand.

"As I was saying, you needn't worry about me."

Something seemed to snap within his friend, and Phichit regarded him angrily. 

"Needn't worry about you?" The Beta repeated, scowling. "How could you say something like that after telling us that you’re going to throw yourself into danger?”

Yuuri flinched, and Phichit looked almost sad. "I didn't know you were that selfish, Yuuri." 

Yuuri felt the words die in his throat, feeling very much like he had been shot through the chest. "That's not what I meant."

His friend shook his head resolutely, and it was clear that he didn’t want to hear any of it. 

"I can't watch you do something so reckless. But if you insist, I can't stop you." The Beta said tiredly. He turned, making to leave the room. "Just don't expect me to be there if it all fails."

The door swung shut with a click, leaving the Omega feeling sick to his stomach. He hadn't expected Phichit to react so strongly against the idea, though he could understand why. 

Yuuri pulled out his phone, checking the last message the blond had sent him the previous night. 

_23:50_

_yurio-p : shinjuku, tokyo. alight at shinjuku station and go northeast from there, or follow the signs. stammi vicino, kabukichō_

Yuuri mulled over the Beta's words in silence.

Perhaps he was indeed being foolish.

* * *

Leo had been hesitant to help him when he asked.

"Phichit's hopping mad." The Beta remarked, quirking a brow at him. Yuuri flinched at the implication, releasing a drawn out sigh. 

"He doesn't want me to go to Kabukichō." The Omega confessed, fidgeting in the chair that the Beta had pulled out for him. "He's worried that something might happen."

Leo sighed. "He's disappointed in you."

Hearing it from another's mouth only made him feel worse, festering like salt on an open wound.

"I know." He said, and it pained him to admit it. "But it's a golden opportunity."

They both knew what he meant. It was a simple task, in the harsher reality of things. All he had to do was meet with the Omega that had been assigned to him, and try to milk information from them. If it didn't work, he'd leave. But leaving empty handed wasn't a very pleasing idea, and he had other alternatives in mind should his plan fail.

If he had to compare the significance of this trip with anything else, it'll be alike the forbidden fruit, dangled tantalizingly from a rod above his mouth. It was tempting, promising secret information that he could very much use. 

"It's almost too good of an opportunity." The Beta quipped, and Yuuri withered slightly. "I understand the reason behind your decision, but there is no safety net at all."

The Beta moved to the side, fetching a rectangular box off the dresser. He was seated in his room, which had gotten much quieter now that Georgi was gone. The student had been suspended, and now that he was gone Yuuri found his absence unnerving. 

"I'll get to the bottom of this." Yuuri said, frowning at his reflection in the mirror. "Illegal or not, I'm sure the government has a hidden agenda. They wouldn’t allow the pills to be circulated like this otherwise."

Leo hummed from behind him, picking out several grooming supplies from his comb set. 

"Personally, I'm not against you doing this." The Beta said, wetting his hair with a few squeezes from a spray bottle. "It's as you've said, nothing out of the ordinary should happen if you go in as a client."

Yuuri closed his eyes when the Beta started making quick work of his hair, smothering the teeth of the comb in a generous amount of gel before raking it through his obsidian locks. 

The Beta frowned, squinting at the mirror as he styled his hair just right. "Anything else however, is a completely different matter." 

"I know." Yuuri said quietly, when the Beta had finished speaking. "I'll be careful."

Leo chuckled lightly, patting his back to indicate that he was done. "Wow. You look very different, mate."

His glasses was removed by the Beta when he had been styling his hair, but as he reached for it again Leo made a small noise of discontent. 

"Lose the glasses mate. You look amazing the way you are now."

With his curiosity piqued, he opened his eyes and nearly jerked back at the image of the person before him. 

"Stunning, eh?" The Beta was smirking, looking as proud as can be. "You should wear this look more often. Knock the Alphas right off their feet, you will."

His vision was slightly blurry, but he could make out how vast the transformation was. It was almost worlds apart. He looked sultry, almost seductive even, maturing about four years in the last few minutes.

Leo laughed lightly at his gobsmacked expression. His chuckles soon died away, however.

"I'm only helping you because I trust in your decision, Yuuri." The Beta said, wearing a solemn expression on his face as he looked him over. "Not to say that I don't worry as much as Phichit, but I believe that you know what you're doing."

Yuuri lowered his gaze. "Do you really trust in my abilities that much?"

"Of course we do.” The Beta sniffed, cracking a smile. “A lot of people support you, even if you may not know it now. When the time is right, I'm confident that many will rise to defend you."

Yuuri looked to the Beta, sliding his gaze across the room. "Then why do they stay silent, still?"

"Because they are still afraid of voicing their opinions." Leo said firmly, mouth thinning into a grim line. "If you are able to show them with your actions that they are not alone, you will be met with ample support."

Yuuri offered the Beta a small smile. "Right."

"That's why you're doing this too, isn't that right?" Leo began packing away his equipment, wiping them clean with a rag. "You needed that extra push, to tear down the government again so that the oppressed can see the worth in their own opinions."

"And to see the worth in themselves too." Yuuri completed somberly, tearing his gaze away from the mirror. "That's exactly why I wanted to attempt this, no matter how dangerous it may seem."

Leo nodded. "I can't agree more with that."

* * *

Shinjuku was as chaotic as he remembered it to be. 

Busy denizens flooded in and out of the railway station in a seemingly endless stream of bodies, and as he found himself sandwiched between sweaty middle aged geezers and scantily clad women he began to remember exactly why he disliked the city. 

The ride wasn't as long as he made it out to be. From his university, it only took about two hours to reach his destination, a far cry from the nauseous inducing seven hour train ride from Hasetsu the last time he'd been here. 

Yuuri had braced himself for the crowd, but nothing could’ve prepared him for the novelty of the experience. 

He supposed that it was also a good thing. He wasn't allowed to feel self-conscious about his appearance, not when he could easily blend into the sea of people at any given moment. 

Though he did catch quite a few stares. 

The brothel he was headed to was mainly catered towards middle aged Alphas, as he'd been told by Yurio. 

He had borrowed scent concealers from the campus clinic, a more potent medication meant for external use only. It would do better than the suppressants he had been taking, though he was warned that it would wear off should it come into contact with water.

His pre-heat wouldn't show through. Tonight, he was a Beta. It wasn't unheard of for Betas to patronise brothels, though it was uncommon. 

It was on short notice, but Yurio had helped him to secure a spot on the list. 

Yuuri knew that he couldn't go in as he was usually. Baby-faced and as plain as he looked, he'd be kicked out with the misunderstanding that he was a minor even before he could think to do any sort of investigation. 

That, and the possibility that someone might recognise him for who he was. 

Though his name and face were well-known in the online community, the government had been quick to censor all official news reports on the grading issue, with the exception of tabloids and magazines. 

Adding on to the fact that he would look nothing like he did previously, the likelihood that someone would recognise him was close to nothing.

Yuuri squinted at the lighted display, just to be doubly certain that he was at the right station. He had forgone his glasses as per Leo's suggestion, but that also meant that he couldn't see any further than four metres.

So he had brought along coloured contacts, which he would wear once he made it into the brothel. One could never be too sure, after all. 

The brown streaks that tinted his hair was a nice complement too, an addition to his disguise that Leo had decided to add in at the last minute.

Occasionally he would catch his reflection in the tinted glass adorning the station platform walls, and every time he would feel odd, unable to recognise himself.

He was clad in something [simple](http://m.ebay.com/itm/262527630815?_mwBanner=1), but not too casual to be considered informal. 

A slim fit vest under a grey V-neck waistcoat, coupled with a royal blue tie. An attire he didn't have the pleasure of owning himself, and a formal dressing that was deemed unfit for Omegas. 

There was never really a need for Omegas to don such expensive pieces of clothing, and after his family had paid such a hefty sum for his freedom, he surely could not afford pricey goods like that. 

He had to borrow it from one of the Betas back in the dorm, most of whom were insistent on tagging along. But he couldn't involve more people than he should. If things go awry, he would never forgive himself if he had inadvertently dragged his friends into this mess as well. 

It was one thing to accept their support and another to involve them in his escapades. 

Yuuri was shoved about as he tried to meander his way to the exit, half-glad that he had decided to travel light. There was no doubt in his mind that he would lose whatever he was carrying in the ever surging wave of bodies, but he had to be extra mindful of the cash he carried in his pockets. 

He pressed himself up against a wall as he squinted at the signs, fumbling with his phone to send Yurio a text.

_You : I'm here._

_Yurio : okay, follow the signs to the district. it's dark so don't get lost_

“Young man, are you lost?”

Yuuri was about to leave when a gravelly voice stopped him in his tracks, and he knew that he had encountered an Alpha even before he had turned around. 

The stout businessman flashed him a toothy smile, with teeth slightly discoloured with age. An epitome of a dirty old pervert looking for some fun after hours. 

He glanced at the time on his phone screen. If he continued wandering about uncertainly- at this rate- he'd miss the appointment. 

Maybe he could play this to his advantage, and test the effectiveness of his disguise at that.

“I think I might be lost.” Yuuri said, testing the waters. “Will you show me to Kabukichō?”

The man seemed to glow with surprise. It was highly possible that he hadn't been very successful the previous few times. 

“S-sure.” The man conceded, stuttering incoherently when Yuuri flashed him a sugar sweet smile.

“Thank you.”

* * *

His first impression of Kabukichō could be summarised as one word: Bright. 

'The Sleepless Town.' Yuuri thought as he spun around, mesmerized by the flashing billboards and gaudy neon signs draped haphazardly on every commercial building in sight.

It's lived up to the name well. 

The lights, the sounds and the people. A warren of medieval alleyways made up the inner city area, and bustling crowds drowned out the calls of touters stationed in front of the bars. 

Yuuri swallowed roughly, and the businessman that had brought him here waved off a pesky vendor who was trying to advertise his beverages. 

The Alpha caught his wandering gaze, and his mouth twitched upwards with the sparking of inner desire. “So, you here to have some fun?”

It was a rhetorical question, and he was expecting it. What other signals could he have sent, for asking a stranger to lead him to the shadiest part of the city?

A part of him recoiled in disgust at what he was about to do next, but another- a more audacious part- egged him to teach the Alpha a lesson. 

Yuuri graced him with a small smile. "Sure."

The Alpha wasn't going to give him an option, anyway. The businessman smiled smugly, latching onto his arm in an iron grip as he tugged him forward.

"You're pretty damn hot for a Beta." The Alpha said, with a lascivious wink. "Hardly see any around these days as fine as you."

Yuuri had to force himself to keep up a nonchalant front as he was pulled into a tacky looking bar, and the glaring letterings across the walls were nothing short of obtrusive in the dim lighting.

Yuuri surveyed the shelves of drinks behind the bartender, marvelling at the myriad of choices. He couldn't see the labels well, however. That’s right, he had a plan.

"I bet you can't stomach sixteen flutes of whisky." 

The businessman stared at him in disbelief, letting out a boorish guffaw once the moment passed.

"Is that dare?" The Alpha smirked, waving the bartender over. "How stupid do you think I am?"

"I'll show you a good time." Yuuri bit out, almost as an offer of sorts, curbing the bile that threatened to rise. But the other was still unconvinced, still too guarded, and he knew that it was time to present his triumph card.

Yuuri pulled himself onto the barstool beside the Alpha, purring lowly. The effect was instant. The businessman wavered visibly, and Yuuri could smell the flare of the arousal from the other male. 

Checkmate.

"Won't you try? I'll be impressed." 

Yuuri glanced at the time. Thirty more minutes. He had to finish this fast.

The Alpha finally gave in. "Deal. But remember what you promised."

The automated jukebox belted out corny pop songs which soon became white noise in the background. Yuuri watched the Alpha down the flutes too fast, too desperately, and he had to hide his smile behind a hand when he had finished.

He could only be grateful that he had met an Alpha cocky enough to be fooled by his antics, though the feat was admittedly simple in this day and age. 

By the time the guy was done he was wobbling in his seat, face flushed like a tomato and looking absolutely wasted. The Alpha slammed the glass onto the counter with a smug grin adorning his coarse features, looking like he had won the lottery and even more.

Yuuri watched him carefully. From the way his eyes were glazed over like liquid ink to the way he struggled to even formulate words on his tongue, it was clear that the Alpha was utterly inebriated. 

He swayed in his seat after a moment, and Yuuri leaned back as he collapsed onto the marble surface with a heavy groan. Just as planned. 

Yuuri picked his pocket with ease, sliding a few bills on the countertop. He sneaked a glance at the bartender, a Beta no doubt, who had been watching the entire exchange with a wide-eyed stare. 

"K-katsuki Yuuri?" 

Great, someone recognised him. Yuuri winced, shooting the Beta a pleading glance. "It's you, isn't it?"

For once, Yuuri could not be more grateful for the cacophony of sounds in the background, melting into a buzz of voices that drowned out his name. 

He brought his finger to his lips in a motion to silence the brunette, and the other closed his mouth with a startled blink. 

Yuuri peaked at his phone screen. 10 minutes. 

Thinking quickly, he pulled the Alpha onto his shoulders, bracing himself against the stool. His knees nearly buckled under the weight, but his gym practice sessions had paid off, and he was able to drag the guy off the high-stool. 

Then he hesitated momentarily, leaning towards the bartender who was still standing shell-shocked at the counter, halfway through the motions of cleaning out a wine glass.

"Don't tell anyone."

The Beta snapped out of his stupor. He pulled Yuuri to the side, excusing himself from his duties. "Yuuri. Why are you here?"

Yuuri faltered. "How did you recognise me?"

The bartender shook his head. "The Omegas in Kabukichō do. Most of them work here after dropping out of school, and we hear your name thrown about quite a lot." 

Yuuri paled, leaning the half-conscious Alpha against the wall. 

"They see you as a hero." The Beta continued, with an excited flush across his cheeks. "Which ticks off many of the regulars here."

The Beta glanced to the side, and Yuuri followed his gaze. The air was laden with smoke which intermingled with the scents and cheap perfume of the people in the bar, but the domineering waft of a smell so distinctively Alpha overpowered everything else. 

Customers here comprised largely of Alphas. Betas were rare as patrons, having a comparatively smaller sex drive, and mostly took up jobs behind the counter. Of course, Omegas had it the worst of them all, being highly sought after due to their small numbers.

There were only a handful of Omegas that dared to wander into a place such as this, and for a good reason too. Striding into the carnival of vice that was Kabukichō without any inhibitions was basically an open invitation to all the horny Alphas in the district. 

"You shouldn't be here."

But Yuuri knew that the Beta wasn't referring to the dangers of being an Omega in a raunchy industry. 

Yuuri bit his lip, looking away from the noisy group at the back. "How many?"

The brunette appraised him with piercing green eyes. "Too many, all with connections. There's many of them tonight, for some odd reason."

A groan from the forgotten Alpha at his side snapped Yuuri back to attention, and he cussed under his breath, pulling out his phone. 6 more minutes.

"Where are you going?" The Beta asked, making to untie his apron. "Let me bring you there."

"Huh? Oh. Thank you." Yuuri flushed at the offer, shifting the weight on his shoulders. "Have you heard of Stammi Vicino?"

The Beta balked at the mention. "Why that place?"

"I have an appointment there," Yuuri replied. "I need to be there in five minutes."

The Beta paused to think before exhaling breathily, tucking his apron into his pocket as he snuck away from the counter. He motioned for Yuuri to follow after him, leading them through a door in the back. 

The crisp gusts of wind that whipped at his warm cheeks was a relief when he exited the bar. His shoulders were beginning to ache, and he half regretted his impromptu decision of getting the Alpha drunk. 

The Beta coughed, and Yuuri turned to him. "Name's Emil. Thought you might want to know." 

Yuuri returned the gesture with a polite nod. "Thank you, Emil."

"It's only my pleasure." The brunette chuckled, but his smile died away as worry clouded his features.

"Why are you bringing him along?" The Beta questioned, as they begun making their way down the unfamiliar narrow street. "Weren't you just trying to shake him off?"

Yuuri looked to the side, seemingly in thought. "I have a plan."

"Alright." The Beta said, but he was still frowning, and Yuuri knew that he had yet to drop the matter. "You here alone? What about your Beta friends back in university?"

He _was_ well-known in these parts. Though he was fairly certain that it must have been Phichit's doing, publicizing his status online at every available opportunity. 

"They wanted to come." Yuuri replied, averting his gaze. "But I didn't want to create trouble for them."

Emil's face softened. "That's very honourable of you, but Stammi Vicino is a brothel that even most locals avoid."

Yuuri smiled wryly. "So I've heard."

"I thought you wouldn't know. It's almost exclusive, hosting parties that are only for the rich and powerful." The brunette said in surprise. "So why are you headed there?"

Yuuri looked over the Beta's shoulder, spotting the familiar signage that he had seen in the pictures sent by Yurio. Stammi Vicino. "...for personal reasons."

Emil seemed disappointed upon hearing his vague answer, but chose to say nothing about it. 

Yuuri turned to his side, and was relieved to see that the Alpha he was supporting was still barely conscious, murmuring incoherently under his breath.

"I'll be alright from here on out." Yuuri said, offering the Beta a smile. "You've been a great help."

The Beta looked almost reluctant to leave, however.

"Are you sure you don't need help?" Emil said uncertainly, pacing about on the spot. "It's dangerous. The Beta support group would never forgive me if I let you walk in there alone."

Beta support group? Was that how he knew so much about him?

The thought warmed him, but he knew he could not take him up on his offer. He couldn't involve anyone else but himself, especially so if they were friends of Phichit. 

A sense of foreboding washed over him as he was reminded of their last conversation. Phichit had been reluctant to face him ever since, and Yuuri felt terrible knowing that the Beta would hate him for the decision he had made in the end.

Perhaps he was being foolish. But perhaps Phichit had simply overreacted. With a bitter taste in his mouth, he acknowledged Emil's concerns with a tight smile.

"Thank you for worrying."

* * *

Stammi Vicino was different. More ghetto, less garish.

Worlds apart from the raucous bars and haze-filled pubs, it's hidden between two lurid sex toy stores. It looked as ordinary as any store you would see during the day, but it simultaneously stuck out like a sore thumb, a contrast to the vibrant nightlife. 

There were no skimpily-clad prostitutes in the windows or salacious posters adorning the doorframe. The only indication of it being a brothel was the neon signboard above the threshold: "Stammi Vicino, Booking/Reservations only".

Yuuri sucked in a deep breath. 

It looked exactly like what he had expected. Plain and unsuspecting, with a tinted sliding glass closing it off from the public. 

Entering the place proved to be of no surprise. The room was furnished only with the bare necessities. A reception desk to his left, and a waiting room to his right. The place was a breath of fresh air, clean and well-lighted. 

There was a door that led to the session rooms next to the reception desk. The walls featured beautiful portraits of abstract nudes in soft colours, as well as signs that read “PRESENT YOUR IC” and “NO HATS, NO SUNGLASSES.”

The receptionist was a female Alpha, and she peered at him over her glasses with a shrewd smile.

"Do you have an appointment?" 

This was it. Yuuri plopped the Alpha onto a plush waiting chair, baring with the throbbing ache in his shoulders that had made itself known. 

He pulled out the businessman's IC from his stolen wallet, handing it over to the receptionist. 

"I'm just here to bring him for his appointment." Yuuri said with an awkward, forced laugh. "He got a little intoxicated while we were drinking."

The woman nodded, tucking the card away. "What name was he booked under?"

Yurio had told him that the online bookings for the brothel stressed on anonymity, and the only reason why they asked for their client's ICs was just to ensure that they didn't slip out through the back before paying the fee. Hence his moniker. 

Yuuri hesitated. "Eros."

The woman hummed, and her lips twitched upwards in approval. "Alright, right on time. One Omega companion, room A12 to the right."

The greasy Alpha stirred slightly. Yuuri quickly pulled him up by an arm, supporting him as they staggered through the door. 

The layout of the place was reminiscent of an apartment building. Whitewashed walls, the kind that one would expect to see in a sanatorium of sorts, with some dog-eared posters half-heartedly plastered about. 

The corridor led to a junction. Yuuri turned the corner, locating the appointed room easily with the help of some signs. 

The room held quite a few booths. The walls were drenched in a deep maroon, and the decor was lavish. 

His Omega companion for the night was already there. The boy was dressed in a cutesy outfit, and he jumped at his entry. But he quickly covered his flightiness with a sweet smile, beckoning them to a booth.

The boy was young. Around his age, and he should be in school just like him. 

With some effort, Yuuri squeezed into the too-cramped booth, pushing the Alpha against the wall. It wasn't very common for two people to arrive to a meeting such as this, and the Omega across from them looked slightly puzzled.

"Who's Eros?" The boy asked, and his voice was muted with caution. "Are you my client?"

Yuuri nodded. "He's Eros," he replied, gesturing to the groaning Alpha beside him. "He'll be your client for today. I'm just dropping him off."

The Omega relaxed visibly. "Ah, I see."

The boy wasn't jittery. His mannerisms were stiff, but he lacked a type of restraint one would normally have if they knew they were being monitored critically. 

In simpler terms, he was most likely willing to talk.

"I'm supposed to pass a package to my friend." Yuuri added, watching him carefully. "But it appears that they aren't in any of the rooms here."

The Omega perked up at that. He waved a friend over, a shaky Beta that was in charge of handing out drinks to the various booths.

"It's confidential." Yuuri said quickly, when they had offered to bring it to his friend. "I need to pass it to him in person." 

Hesitance. They exchange uneasy looks, and Yuuri knew that the Beta was this close to reporting the issue to the receptionist outside. 

"I already know about the underground facilities." He said firmly, pinning the Beta with a stern stare. "So you needn't worry about it."

It was a shot in the dark, and he had literally no idea if it was going to work. He could only guess that there was a section of the brothel underground, since none of the rooms here looked proper enough to hold VIPs. 

The two of them shifted, talking amongst each other in hushed tones. The Omega waved him out of the room after that, leaving the Beta behind to take his place in the booth.

The walk was quiet. The Omega didn't say a word to him the entire journey, and it was almost stifling. A right turn here, a left turn there. Soon an elevator was in sight, particularly well-maintained for a decrepit looking place such as this. 

His companion tapped a key card against the authentication sensor, and the machinery rumbled to life.

Jackpot. He had hit it right on the mark. If Yurio's information was trustworthy, major public figures wouldn't come to a brothel such as this, unless it was hiding something else.

An underground passage, perhaps.

The Omega was nervous. He sneaked glances at Yuuri as subtly as he could, and it only fuelled the growing uneasiness eating away at him. 

No ding. The elevator arrived, as silent as a ghost, and Yuuri followed the boy into the lift cautiously. 

Once the doors closed, however, the Omega turned to him, tugging him down to his level by his sleeve. Soft brown eyes, so strikingly familiar to his own, held his stare for too long. Staring searchingly, as if he was trying to find something he was looking for.

Then a glimmer appears in the depths of those brown pools, and the boy released his shirt with a startled gasp.

"Yuuri?" 

Yuuri's eyes widened fractionally. It was all the confirmation the Omega needed, and the boy opened his mouth to continue, but thought better of it when the elevator slid to a stop. He righted himself immediately, throwing a quick glance over his shoulder before they exit.

_Follow me._

He was greeted by the sight of a well-furnished lobby, with a similar theme as the rooms above. Rich velvet painted the walls and spilled across the carpeted floor, complemented by the woody hues and creams of the couches. 

The Omega tugged at his shirt, and he snapped out of his musings. He looked almost anxious, and Yuuri paused, trying particularly hard to read his expression. 

His companion brought him to a restroom, which was baffling. Yuuri frowned. He had many questions, but the other didn't seem like he was ready to answer them anytime soon. 

The boy was currently staring at him in an odd mix of disbelief and happiness, jaw slack as he took in his appearance. "Yuuri. It's you, isn't it?"

Yuuri faltered. How was he recognised?

He turned to the mirror, hit with the sudden worry that his hair had fallen back into place. But his disguise was still intact, and the only trace of his personality was his rusty amber irises that he had yet to cover up.

He should wear the contacts now. Yuuri hissed under his breath, tearing open the packet he had placed in his pockets. 

The Omega looked flustered. "Though your eyes gave it away, I only knew it was you through your scent!"

Yuuri was even more confused now, but he knew what the Omega was alluding to. "...do I know you?"

"Yuuri, don't you recognise me?"

The thought struck him like lightning, and Yuuri blinked at the Omega slowly, lowering his contacts. "Guang Hong...?"

At the Omega's happy nod, Yuuri felt a pang of nostalgia. It couldn't be, and it was almost impossible that he had met his Junior High friend here, of all places. The last he'd heard of Guang Hong was from Yuuko, and she had told him that he was pulled out of school.

"Did your Alpha put you here?"

At the mention, Guang Hong's face fell. "Since..." he began with a low murmur, "since the Omegas that were pulled out of school have plenty of free time, we take up jobs for extra pocket money."

"But most jobs refuse to employ us, even part-time ones, so..."

"Most Omegas turn to prostitution." Yuuri completed bitterly. "It's known, but I didn't think that..."

Guang Hong gave him a sad smile. "It's fine, though. My Alpha only allows me to do companion work, so it's been easier for me."

"But surely this isn't something you want to do." 

The Omega bit his lip in response, and Yuuri scowled. "I can't believe this. The situation is far worse than I thought." 

"But what are you doing here?" Guang Hong stressed. "Do you know how dangerous this place is?"

Yuuri hesitated. That's right, he needed to find out about the pills. He popped in the contacts with a wince. Dabbing away the moisture at his eyes, he examined himself in the mirror. 

His scarlet gaze was striking, and it looked colder, far less emotion-laden. Perfect, no one will recognise him now, though his scent concealer had probably worn off a little. Another spray wouldn't hurt.

Yuuri glanced to the side to see his friend looking at him in wonder, and he paused in his ministrations.

"Guang Hong. Have you heard of hormone pills being used here?" 

Guang Hong's eyes bulged, and his look of wonder was immediately replaced by fear. 

"H-how did you know?" The brunette stuttered. "Is this...oh my god, is this why you're here?"

"I've heard of the pills being used in prostitution." Yuuri frowned. "Due to the lack of Omegas in the country." 

The brunette fidgeted. "You're not wrong. The Betas here are used as substitutes for us most of the time."

"How?" Yuuri questioned, and his friend winced. 

"The Beta workers here are sometimes drugged and given Ometoxin, a hormone pill that elicits Omega-like behaviour." Guang Hong replied, looking quite upset as he spoke. "They get matched with Alpha clients, and the clients usually don't mind because Betas are cheaper compared to Omegas."

"Do the Betas consent to this?"

Guang Hong gave him confused smile. "What choice do they have?"

"But this is wrong," Yuuri protested. "This is sex trafficking. These pills are illegal, yet the government-"

"The government is one thing, allowing the pills to be distributed to brothels such as these." Guang Hong interrupted. "Brothels sign pacts with them, and they pay a large amount of tax in return for the use of the pills."

Yuuri scowled. "How corrupt." 

"In addition to the high tax, certain government officials are allowed to patronise these brothels under strict confidentiality and for no charge." The Omega lowered his gaze. "That's why we receive lesser locals here compared to the other brothels in this district."

"Because most of the clients are government officials." 

Guang Hong nodded. "The money the brothel earns for hosting sex parties for foreign officers is more than enough to make up for the higher taxes. So they've been doing this for about a year now."

Yuuri looked away, deep in thought. "...I need to expose them somehow."

The Omega pursed his lips. "Yuuri, if you're caught here, they can sue you for defamation."

He had a feeling that they'll do more than that. Yuuri nodded distantly. "I'll be careful."

His friend looked slightly relieved. "But how are you planning to do it?"

"Footages," Yuuri replied. "Can you grant me access to the security footages in this place?"

Guang Hong hesitated. "I can't, and it won't do you any good. The videos in their laptops are what you'll want."

"Then how..." Yuuri met his gaze then, and he knew. "...can you get me to one of their rooms?"

The Omega paused. "I know that they have a session now. Some Ministers from the Parliament. But getting you in would be difficult, unless we help you."

Yuuri frowned, and his friend chewed on his lower lip in thought. "I'll get some of my friends to help you," he finally said. "I don't want to see them suffer any longer."

His friend looked up at him then, with a gaze so steely that Yuuri forgot momentarily that he was talking to the Omega he once knew long ago. 

"But you better succeed, because I don't even want to imagine what they would do to my Beta friends if they were found helping you."

The statement was like a stone, lodging itself firmly in his gut. The pressure mounting on his shoulders grew heavier, and Yuuri forced a smile. "I will."

Guang Hong mirrored his smile with a small, tired one. "There are surveillance cameras everywhere, except for the bathrooms, elevators and session rooms. I won't be able to speak to you once we are outside."

He nodded, and the Omega paused. "I'll bring you to an empty room. You can wait there till I come to get you."

Both of them leave the place at once. The doors to the session rooms were mostly opaque, but some were streaked with glass, leaving little to imagination. 

Across the lounge, through an infinite number of winding corridors. The underground was complex, a grave reminder of just how big the operation was. He tried to store the directions in his mind, just in case he needed to escape. Just in case, of course. The worst case scenario, if all else fails.

Guang Hong ushered him into a room, shutting the door after him with a whisper. "I'll come get you after we lure them out of the room."

Yuuri nodded, and his friend was gone.

The room was classy. Consisting of a grandiose bed with exorbitant sheets, it exuded opulence. It could even give many top hotels in Japan a run for their money, and that was really saying something.

What a terrible waste of resources.

He didn't have to wait long. A thunderous noise came from beyond the door he was leaning against, a clamour of footsteps and drunken rambling. 

He waited for his friend to appear. A few minutes passed with an agonizing slowness, and Yuuri knew that something must have went wrong.

He deliberated for a second before exiting the room carefully. There was not a single soul in sight. From the direction of the footsteps, he could tell that the room was somewhere to his left. 

The emptied room, that is.

If he was caught, he could always explain away the suspicion. Sneaking about? He got lost searching for the bathroom. Getting caught entering the wrong room? Apologies, he was drunk. Riffling through a politician's private documents? Might as well set up the noose for himself.

Yuuri clicked his tongue, wandering about aimlessly. Through logical deduction, the session room the politicians occupied had to be the biggest of the lot. 

He almost missed it. One of the doors was not like the rest, and it was held agape by a small rubber stopper. Entry to the session rooms was secured by key cards as well, and that only meant that this action was deliberate.

Peeking in, he was relieved to find that the room was completely empty. Guang Hong must have left the door open on purpose when the group exited, hoping that he'd find it by some fortuitous chance. 

That was the only possible explanation. Some complications must have occurred, and now the brunette couldn't leave the company.

 _'Great.'_ Yuuri slipped into the room, making sure to shut the door behind him. _'Now to find a laptop.'_

It took longer than expected. Ten minutes later and he still came up empty handed, glancing about the room in disbelief. This particular session room was almost as spacious as an apartment. There were three other doors leading to smaller rooms, and even a private bathroom in the corner. 

He finally found it hidden away in the most unlikely of places. Tucked under the granite sink, camouflaged in the shadows and kept away from leery eyes. 

In times like these, he was grateful that he had managed to pick up some skills from Yurio. Yuuri bit his lip, flipping open the laptop cover. Plugging a thumb drive into the port, he waited for the virus to corrupt the coding. 

He found the sex tapes with some difficulty, bypassing all the password protected folders. Over a hundred videos, all recorded to satisfy the libidos of the Alphas in power. It sickened him, and it was a prime example of how lust and desire could corrupt someone irrevocably.

Yuuri hesitated, seizing up with the feeling that he was about to intrude into something utterly private and shameful. 

But he had to know. He clicked on one.

Guang Hong had been absolutely right. The recordings weren't at all as grainy as he expected it to be, detailing risqué sex acts that had him feeling sick to his stomach. 

It was one thing to indulge in one's guilty pleasures, and another to exploit sex workers by drugging them. It was appalling, revolting-even more so-to know that such acts were not only condoned by the government, but were practiced by them as well. 

The public would not take well to this.

The country was already suffering from a lack of Omegas, and the government was far more concerned with the fact that there won't be enough of them to satiate the Alphas rather than solving the root cause of the problem.

Alphas made up 60% of the population. Omegas 18%, and Betas made up the rest. Betas were at an awkward position. They were made up of pure and impure Betas, the latter of which are sterile and were widely considered as second-class citizens. Only about 30% of the Betas in this country were pure.

Betas frequently complained of neglect from the government, due to passing of The Breeding Act. And they weren't wrong. With all the Omegas matched with Alphas, Betas were not encouraged to mate with Omegas. 

Phichit frequently complained to him about it, hence he was made well-aware of their circumstances. 

All males couldn't conceive children, with the exception of male Omegas. Similarly, all females could get pregnant, with the exception of female Alphas. 

As a result, with no Omegas to pair with, Beta children could only be conceived with pure Beta-Beta pairs and male Alpha-female Beta pairs. But since Alpha-Beta pairs could only conceive sterile children-it was frowned upon-as was Omega-Beta pairs, Betas were left feeling very inadequate.

There was a growing frustration among the Beta community, one that Yuuri knew would be deadly to government if it bubbled over. 

Should this news be leaked of the government’s deeds- where Betas were made only useful to society if they behaved like Omegas- a riot could very well happen, and the country might be thrown into disarray.

Yuuri bit his lip, forcing himself to sit through a few minutes of the video. Female Beta sex workers made up most of the victims, since their bodies worked similarly to Omegas. Though of course, male Betas weren't spared either. 

Obviously under in the influence of drugs, they rubbed against the Alphas wantonly, so similar to Omegas that Yuuri found himself cringing involuntarily. Anyone would be able to tell.

The videos would download automatically in time. He was able to set up a wireless connection, linking his phone to the laptop easily. Judging by the sizes of the files, the process would take at least an hour. 

Though as long as no one tampered with the connection during the process, it would be fine. 

Once he had published them on his blog and released it to the public, the MP's reputation would go down the drain. In that case: Mission accomplished.

Yuuri closed the tab, allowing himself to look through the other folders on the home screen. A label caught his attention, and he moved his mouse over it, squinting at the name of the folder. 

_'Namelist'_

A quick check couldn't hurt. 

A list detailing the names and respective profile pictures of the people working in the government body, along with people whom they had notable connections with.

He scanned it listlessly, committing some important details to memory. He might as well download this file while at it; one would never know when it'd prove to be handy. 

He had been scrolling half-blindly when it caught his eye, a name so prominently well-known that he could recognise it even in his sleep. 

_Nikiforov._

The name that struck fear in hearts and pride in far too many. Far too many ignorant, Alpha fools.

_Vincent fucking Nikiforov._

Yuuri scrolled back up, just to glimpse at the face that he had grown to scorn. But when he did, it took him a full minute to register the visage in the profile. 

For the person he was looking at was not that of their cherished Prime Minister, recognisable by his dirty, short blond hair and cruel smile.

A very familiar mug stared right back at him, in all of his fresh-faced glory.

_Nikiforov. Victor Nikiforov._

His fingers began to shake, and he could already feel the beginning of a familiar numbness as it spread to his shoulders. 

It couldn't be. That wasn't his name.

Yuuri drew in a long, shaky breath. His heart rate skyrocketed, and despite that he could physically feel the colour draining from his face.

He wasn't even aware that the current PM had a son. But it was stated here as clear as day, and no one else would share the same blasted surname unless they were related. 

Vincent Nikiforov. Victor Nikiforov. 

His eyes weren't playing tricks on him, were they? Perhaps his vision had gone funny with the contacts he had worn. It couldn't be him. The hair, those eyes and that face.

Yuuri closed the document without another glance, as if he was half-afraid that doing so will confirm his suspicions. 

_Victor Nikiforov._

But the resemblance was uncanny, and it was difficult to believe that it was just a coincidence.

So lost in his thoughts he was, that he forgot to keep an eye and ear on the door. He only registered the creak a little too late, and he shoved the laptop back into the sink cabinet in panic, scrambling to his feet.

The politicians have returned to the room, and he was still inside. In his haste, he knocked over a cup placed by the basin, and he felt his heart plummet as he watched it drop to the floor with a clatter.

A series of misfortunes, one after another.

It was too late to run out, now. He could hear someone approaching, and he looked around the bathroom in horror. Hiding would be useless. The only other way out would be through the air-duct, but the crawl space was too small. It was impossible- no. 

There was still a way to salvage this situation.

The door opened too fast, but Yuuri was already prepared. With a plunger in hand and a towel in the other, he turned with the most innocuous smile he could muster. And promptly blanched.

Standing at the threshold was the very person he dreaded to see. Not at this place, not when it was so coincidental it almost seemed like a set up-

Blue eyes studied him critically, silver hair neatly pulled back into a ponytail- the very way it had been when they first met- and his heart dropped to his stomach. 

And it took all it had in him to quash the sudden surge of fear, unadulterated, genuine fear, a terror that he had never thought would be associated with the person standing before him.

Of course he would be here. Of fucking course, he was the prime minister's son after all-

Evgeni quirked a brow. "Who are you?"

No, _not_ Evgeni. The stupid name was just an alias. A stupid, made-up lie that he was naïve enough to believe.

"I-I came to clean up the room," Yuuri said stiffly. He had to force the words out of his mouth, and it chafed his throat like sandpaper. "You've lodged a complaint."

He certainly didn’t look the part, dressed to the nines in a spotless attire. 

"Lodged a complaint?" The Alpha repeated, folding his arms across his chest. "While that is possible, you don't look like a cleaner."

_He didn’t recognise him._

He had to act composed. Yuuri smiled, feeling a droplet of sweat slide down his temple. "I'm new here."

The Alpha cocked his head. "Is that so?"

He couldn't have recognised him. It was possible, but _no_ , he couldn't assume that, couldn't let himself fret over it. It was all game over if he let his anxiety get the better of him. Slipping up would cost him his life. 

"I have to leave now."

But Victor refused to budge, and Yuuri felt naked under his scrutiny. He averted his gaze quickly, looking anywhere but at him. 

"You say that you're a worker here, no?" Yuuri looked up at his question and immediately regretted it. The Alpha was eyeing him predatorily, and he was almost afraid to answer. 

"Yes… I am."

Victor smiled coyly. "Then, won't you join us for a drink?"

No, he had to abort the mission now. 

Yuuri shook his head in a polite decline. "I have places to be."

"I'm sure that can wait," The Alpha replied. "I've taken an interest in you."

It was clear that he wasn't going to let him pass. 

Yuuri swallowed roughly. "But I-"

"If you are a worker here, you should have no qualms with obliging to my request." 

The statement was comparable to a death sentence. For a while, not a single sound was made, and it was clear that they were the only ones in the room. Victor had decided to come back on his own.

He had dug himself a grave. From the very start, he had absolutely no say in the matter.

Yuuri bit his lip. "I... guess that could be arranged." 

Victor smiled, and it sent a shot of cold fear straight into his chest. 

"Shall we go, then?"

* * *

He shouldn't be here. This venture was a deadly mistake. 

Victor draped an arm over his shoulders, tracing lazy circles into his arm with deft fingers.

"Don't you drink?"

The martini glass set on the table before him stayed untouched. The ambient music playing in the background seemed all that much louder, but Yuuri could hear his own heartbeat loud and clear over the sharp timbre of the violin in the background. 

Yuuri forced a smile. "I'd prefer not to."

They were in another session room. Sparsely lighted by the soft glow of scented candlesticks, shadows danced across the walls, casted by the flickering flames of half-melted wax. 

The Alpha clicked his tongue, regarding him incredulously. "I've never met an escort who has declined a drink before."

Yuuri barely concealed his flinch. Every statement of his carried heavy connotations, implications that made forming refusals virtually impossible.

"I'm not your average escort.” The words spilled from his lips spitefully and against his better judgment. "Just like how you aren't just any client."

Victor twitched. The shift in his expression was subtle, too elusive to catch. But he had been around him for far too long, and he knew that the Alpha was vaguely annoyed. He had been so oblivious. So ignorant, so easy. Just like any other willing prey.

How- just how- hadn’t he known that the PM had a son? How was the public not aware of this?

_They looked nothing alike._

The Alpha's hand shifted to his shoulder, and he threw his head back to down his own glass. Yuuri's gaze wandered to his own drink sitting innocently on the table. He wasn't that daft. 

"I didn't put anything in it." 

The Alpha was watching him with a smirk, and Yuuri quickly glanced away. It was almost unbearable to look into those familiar cerulean eyes without feeling choked up. 

It was never a mistake. It was all a cruel joke.

"Your stubbornness is unattractive, you know." The Alpha continued to say, and his stare turned slightly sour. "I'm sure it doesn't bode well with your clients."

He couldn’t do it. He couldn’t bear to look at him. 

The silence that stretched between them was suffocating. He watched the candlelight die slowly in the frigid room, a grim presage of the events to come. 

"If you're that distrustful, I'll show you myself." 

Victor picked the martini glass off the table, tipping it towards him in an almost mocking gesture. Without another word, he drained half of its contents, and the vermillion liquid disappeared down his throat in a blink of an eye.

"See, there's nothing wrong with it."

Yuuri refused to acknowledge the Alpha. He kept his stare carefully trained away from him, wincing when the other tightened his grip on his shoulder. "Won't you try it?"

"I already told you, I don't drink." Yuuri finally croaked. He glanced pointedly at the door, keeping his face shielded from his piercing stare.

It wasn't long now. He was going to recognise him soon enough, and he needed to get away before he did.

The Alpha frowned. "How unadorable." 

It was all a lie from the very beginning. From when he had met him online as anon, to when they had met face-to-face in person. Victor filled his mind with falsities, using his gratuitous acts of kindness to completely and utterly deceive him to the point of no return.

He should've known- should’ve fucking known- that something was up from the very moment he managed to set up his blog with such ease. It was all a ruse to gain his trust. His trust. Which he had stupidly given to him, served it to him on a silver platter like the fool he was. 

The crushing realisation snuffed out what little hope he had, and he felt a soft burn at the back of his eyelids. 

He might as well have handed Victor a knife to mutilate what little trust he had in Alphas, which he had probably done anyway. Being present here was enough. 

How could he have been so blind?

"I need to leave now." Yuuri whispered, and he hated how weak he sounded at that moment. "I-I have duties to attend to." 

There was no way Victor could've known his blog was hacked, presenting a back-up so conveniently just so he could use it as an excuse to gain his trust. There was no way, unless-

His thoughts slowed to a stop, and his vision wavered. Unless...

Yuuri was hit by the sudden urge to cough, and he bent over, gasping deeply as he regained his breath.

It all made sense now. No, it shouldn't make sense. There was no way Yurio would do something like that.

"Are you alright?"

Victor was holding out a glass of water, concern marring his features. All fake. All of his little gestures and offers. He was nothing but a marionette, dancing stupidly in the Alpha’s pretty little web of lies.

Yuuri couldn't think, couldn't feel. The numbness had spread from his fingers to his legs, cramping his muscles and rendering them completely immobile.

Everything was orchestrated. There were never any coincidences, only intricately thought out ploys. Each one so meticulously spun, so carefully crafted, just so that he would end up in this situation.

Victor knew exactly who he was. 

He lured him here, knowing specifically that he would come alone, to investigate the shady operation by himself. Helpless, with no plausible way to reach his company of friends. 

Yuuri paled, trying to still his chattering teeth as anxiety clawed its way up his chest with renewed vigour.

Why the fuck were they playing this game of masquerade when they already knew their identities?

The Alpha leered, leaning closer, and Yuuri snapped. He lashed out at him instinctively, hitting the glass out of his hand. It shattered into a million fragments, creating a brilliant wet streak across the Alpha's tuxedo. 

Yuuri inhaled sharply as regret dawned on him, and he scuttled backwards when the other's expression darkened.

He needed to move. Needed to leave, now.

Yuuri smacked his hand off his shoulder, leaving the couch without a second thought.

They were right. He had been a fool.

The door was locked. Rattling the doorknob proved to be futile, but he tried nonetheless, hoping that he could physically pry open the door by force in a fit of desperation.

No, no, no. He shouldn’t have even entered this room. He should’ve known. He should’ve known _better_.

"Going somewhere?" The Alpha was watching him with a lazy, hooded stare as he leaned against his palm, and Yuuri knew at that very instant that his fate was sealed. 

Victor made his way towards him with a gait of a panther, and Yuuri stumbled back with each step he took. Soon his back hit the wall, and Yuuri drew a shuddering breath as the Alpha all but closed the distance between them.

"You may look different." Victor muttered, and his breath was too hot, too close. 

Yuuri braced himself against the wall as he leaned in, pupils blown wide in fear.

"But your eyes will always stay the same, Yuuri."

No emotion could hold a candle to the unbridled horror that unfolded onto his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm terribly sorry for the cliffhanger... ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
> 
> Note: Yurio's contact name is saved as "Yurio" when Yuuri is texting him using normal messaging. It's "yuri-p" when Yuuri is texting him via the blog, the latter of which has timestamps.  
> \---  
> Important! Due to my irregular update schedule (so I've been told) I implore you to check/follow my [sideblog](https://chibifoxx-fic.tumblr.com/) where I'll be posting only YOI stuff and updates on fic chapter uploads. 
> 
> I'm using the blog because this story is only beginning and my schedule is getting more cramped, (and I don't want a repeat of an abnormally long wait for a chapter like this one) I don't wish to keep you readers hanging with my inconsistency. Also I really wish to connect with you there!! Feel free to hit me up anytime. 
> 
> \---  
> To refresh your memory from Chapter 1 end notes:  
> Genotypes:  
> Alphas: AO or AA  
> Betas: BB, BA or BO  
> Omegas: OO
> 
> Sterile genotypes: BA and BO (Not able to produce offspring) "Impure Betas"  
> Non-sterile genotypes: The rest (Able to produce offspring)
> 
> Hence non-sterile Alpha and Omega offspring can only be produced between an Alpha+Omega pair. Non-sterile Beta offspring (BB-"pure Betas") can only be produced between a two BB Betas, as BA and BO Betas are sterile. Since conditions for Betas are so specific, only a small part of the population are BB Betas.


	11. The Breaking Point

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was... unforgivable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PLEASE READ:
> 
>  **This chapter contains only slight non-con, and there is NO rape**
> 
>  ---
> 
> A note before you start this chapter:  
>  **The Omegaverse Systematics in APA goes as follows:**
> 
> One person can only have one mate at a time (the last person you mated with)
> 
>  **Mating** : Making someone your mate. Alpha/Beta, Omega/Beta etc. You have sex with them and mark them (definition below).
> 
>  **Marking** : Biting the scent glands (located on the neck) of your partner. 
> 
> Effects: Transfers your scent & creates a bond (etc. heightened awareness of their presence/emotions) You can only bond with one person- the last person you marked.
> 
> All these effects are temporary, fading away as the bite mark (in the form of a wound) heals. However, consistent marking would make these effects semi-permanent. In special cases where an Alpha&Omega are _especially compatible_ , the effects will last far longer. 
> 
> *Marking only happens if one bites a more submissive secondary gender. Highest dominance from left to right: Alpha, Beta, Omega. Omegas cannot mark anyone, and no marking occurs between same secondary gender pairs (Beta/Beta…)
> 
>  **Non-Consensual Marking** : Hence, marking can be a “dubious consent” process for the submissive gender (as marking is not mutual: only the Alpha needs to bite the Omega), so becoming unwilling mates (if sex happens as well) with someone else is common. 
> 
> **Scenting** : Covering your partner with your scent to warn potential mates to stay away from them (rubbing/nuzzling).
> 
> Gomen, I tried to shorten it as much as possible.

"You may look different." Victor muttered, and his breath was too hot, too close.

Yuuri braced himself against the wall as he leaned in, pupils blown wide in fear.

"But your eyes will always stay the same, Yuuri."

No emotion could hold a candle to the unbridled horror that unfolded onto his face.

But he was paralysed with fear, and try as he would, he couldn't move a single muscle. The Alpha simply smirked, and Yuuri felt the words form on his tongue before he could take them back.

"Why?" He whispered, digging his nails into the wall behind him. "Is this amusing to you?"

Victor tilted his head. "Amusing?"

He opened his mouth to speak, but was cut short when the Alpha gripped his chin, running his fingers along his jawline.

"You think I find this amusing?"

The smirk dropped from his face, and Victor was now gazing at him solemnly. "There wasn't a need to resort to this if you weren't so stubborn."

Yuuri twitched, twisting his face out of his grasp. "S-stubborn?"

"If you didn't refuse all my advances, we wouldn't be here." Victor clarified, with an edge to his voice. "But you refused to submit, no matter what I tried."

Yuuri's eyes widened. "Submit?" He breathed. "You wanted me to submit to you?"

Victor gripped his chin once more, and Yuuri hissed, eyes flashing with defiance. "All this," Yuuri began slowly, "all this was to make me your mate?"

"Courting." Victor corrected curtly. "I was trying to court you all this while."

Victor tightened his grip on his face when he tried to squirm away, frowning in displeasure. "I don't understand." He muttered, a look of confusion crossing his features. "I don't understand why you keep resisting."

"You lied to me." The Omega seethed, glaring at the Alpha heatedly. "You hid your identity from me."

"How else was I going to get you to oblige?" Victor said impassively, turning his chin in his hands. "Was I wrong to do that?"

Yuuri reached up to shove his arm away, only to wince when the other shifted his hand further south. Cold fingers wrapped around his neck, eliciting a spike of fear. Victor had probably seen it in his eyes. 

The Alpha hesitated, and his fingers fluttered against his skin, loosening his hold. But only for a moment.

The moment was all he needed. Yuuri drew a leg back, swiftly kneeing him in his groin as hard as he could.

Victor let out a strangled gasp, bending over as his hands flew away from his neck. Yuuri didn't waste any time. He jumped away from the writhing Alpha, slamming his weight against the door. No good, it was still firmly locked.

Yurio had taught him to pick locks before, but he needed time. The very element which was of the essence, and the very thing he was running out of.

"S-shit."

A thunderous snarl, and Yuuri turned around just in time to dodge the Alpha's hands. He dropped to the ground, and his body carried out the familiar movements that he had practiced countless times. So many times, in fact, that it was all muscle memory at work.

Yuuri twisted his body to the side, sweeping his leg across the smooth carpet in a fluid motion. Victor crumpled to the ground immediately, knees buckling from the sudden blow to his calves.

But he wasn't down for the count just yet. The Alpha mimicked his actions with a stunning similarity, turning quickly to swing his leg right into his side.

Pain blossomed from his mid-rift and he was sent sprawling as well, mind reeling from the kick that he had not expected in the least.

He had to get on his feet.

Victor was quicker. He latched onto him before he could stand, dragging him closer with a bruising grip around his ankles.

Immediately, Yuuri kicked at him with his free leg, but Victor avoided it easily, pinning his limbs down with his weight.

Yuuri exhaled shakily. The Alpha loomed over him, dishevelled and clearly furious.

"You're still resisting." The Alpha growled, and the sound sent chills crawling across his skin. "You're still trying to run away, even after all this."

Yuuri clenched his fists, sucking in a breath. But Victor caught the movement out of the corner of his eye, and slammed both his wrists onto the floor before he could land his punches.

Yuuri winced, feeling his arms go slack. God, he was far stronger than he had imagined. The Alpha's steely grip was like iron fetters, and Yuuri knew that the other was no longer taking any chances with him. 

"I trusted you." Yuuri spat, a fire burning in his gut. "You played me like it's some sort of sick game!"

"I had to." Victor said evenly. "You refused my advances every single time. What else was I to do?"

"But how will this make me agree?" Yuuri hissed back. "You actually think that I'll agree to mate with you once you had me trapped?"

Victor's expression darkened. "You're truly not like the Omegas I've met." The Alpha said slowly. "Any other Omega would be cowering and submitting in this situation."

"Just because you're the PM's son?" Yuuri snapped, narrowing his eyes. "It's Alphas like you that I detest the most."

Those dark blue eyes flashed dangerously, and Yuuri held in a breath as the Alpha leaned in, so close that their noses were just mere inches apart.

"But you're still an Omega." Victor said lowly, meeting his unrelenting glare with one of his own. A challenge, one that he had inadvertently accepted. "You're still an Omega, despite what you try to do, and I'm going to prove that."

Yuuri barely had time to process his words as Victor moved off him suddenly, and suddenly he could feel the blood in his fingers again.

The Alpha lifted him off the floor by his arms, and Yuuri could only claw at his neck as he marched to the coach with long, sure strides.

"Don't you dare." Yuuri gritted out, but his voice came out as a weak stammer. "D-don't you do this, Victor!"

Victor stiffened under him, but dropped him onto the coach all the same, reaching over to pluck a liquor glass off the table.

Yuuri scuttled off the sofa immediately, but the Alpha quickly pulled him back with a harsh thug. He fell backwards and displaced the cushions, hissing as his head hit the armrest with a dull thud.

"I won't do anything." Victor swirled the glass in his hands with an indecipherable expression. "But perhaps you need a little encouragement."

The Alpha drained the contents of the glass in one swig, positioning himself over the Omega, and Yuuri knew, he _knew_.

He lashed out a bit too late, attempting to shove him away. But Victor calmly claimed his wrists, locking them above his head as his struggles intensified. The Alpha towered over him, caging him in with his knees.

Seeing no other way out, Yuuri firmly clamped his mouth shut, whipping his head to the side.

That did not bode well with Victor.

Holding his wrists with one hand, he slid his free hand down to caress the side of the Omega's face in an almost tender gesture. As quick as those feather-like touches came, it left just as fast, and cold fingers pinched his nose painfully.

Soon his lungs ached for air, and Yuuri felt his eyes water as his sight blurred. And Victor just watched. Patiently, waiting.

No, he couldn't give in.

But as spots of black began encroaching into his peripheral vision, he knew that he was fighting a losing battle.

His mouth opened with a snap, and he inhaled hungrily, a wave of relief racking through his body as he filled his starving lungs with air.

Just as quickly, his face was twisted upwards, and Victor's lips crashed onto his bruisingly.

He felt like he was drowning.

The hot liquor slid down his throat too fast, burning a trail down to his stomach. He renewed his struggles, gasping for air and choking miserably when some of it got into his windpipe. 

By the time Victor pulled away, his respiratory passage was on fire, and his lungs felt as though they were half-filled with water. His hands were released, and Yuuri threw himself to the edge of the coach, doubling over in a series of hacking coughs.

Victor wiped away the liquid at his mouth with the back of his hand, sitting back as Yuuri regained his breath. 

His eyes watered. "W-what did you give me?"

"A dose of encouragement."

Yuuri brought a shaky finger to his lips. "Why?"

But the Alpha shrugged. "I'm simply trying to help with your heat, Yuuri."

The Omega blanched, eyes growing wide as realisation struck him. "...you didn't."

"You've been putting off your heat for a year, Yuuri." Victor continued, cocking his head. "It's time you had it, won't you agree?"

At his words, a sudden ache made itself known, and Yuuri balked. He curled in on himself involuntarily, letting a small whimper slip past his lips when the feeling engulfed his senses in a buzz of panic.

Clutching at his abdomen, Yuuri peered up at the Alpha in a mix of indignance and terror.

"Do you need help?" Victor rested his chin on his palm knowingly, propping his elbow on the armrest opposite him. He seemed indifferent to Yuuri's dismay, and the Omega forced himself to his feet, swaying lightly.

This drug was too fast acting for it to be the likes of any medication he had taken before. The effect hit him in only mere seconds, and even the most potent of heat inducing pills at the clinic took a few hours at least.

"Y-you gave me Ometoxin."

It wasn't even a question. What else could it be, other than the very drug that led him here?

The Alpha watched him from a distance. "The pills dissolve very easily in alcohol," he replied. "I wonder if you knew that, Yuuri?”

That was it. Yuuri stumbled slightly, falling onto the table before him in a garbled hiss.

“Or was it just a lucky guess?"

The scents in the room became that much more prominent, and the heady smell of the Alpha only excited him. His gut churned in agony, and Yuuri closed his eyes, pressing a palm to his forehead.

He was burning up.

"Do you need help?"

No, but Victor didn't move an inch from his spot. He didn't move to hold him, didn't make to touch him at all. And the shameful thought turned yearning aggravated him, knowing that the drug had already muddled his thoughts into a chaotic mess.

Victor wanted him to willingly submit, on his own volition. He wanted him grovel, wanted him to beg. All for his own pride. 

Yuuri dug his nails into the leather of the couch. "You're cruel." He croaked, suppressing the frustration building in his throat. "You're so very cruel."

Victor’s face softened with an emotion that Yuuri couldn’t quite place a label on. He opened his mouth to speak but seemed to think better of it, averting his gaze from the Omega. “Yuuri…”

Yuuri shook his head, grimacing as the world around him spun nauseatingly. “I can’t… I can’t believe you...”

The Alpha stood regardless and Yuuri stumbled back, falling onto the floor in his dazed stupor.  
“D-don’t touch me!”

Victor paused, faltering in his steps.

“It's better to give up now.” Victor said quietly, dropping his hands to his sides. “You must be tired of fighting.”

“Why?” Yuuri choked out, between rapidly quickening breaths and the lump of adrenaline in his chest. “Why do you agree with the government's doings?”

Victor’s face fell with a mellow sort of sadness. “Because I’ve seen Omegas for what they are,” he replied. “They may try to deny it, but they are all as weak as they come. It’s all useless in the end.”

Yuuri got to his feet, cradling his throbbing mid-riff as he scowled. “You’re clearly deluded, just like the rest of the Alphas.”

Another stab at his pride. Victor frowned, and all trace of sympathy was gone.

“T-those are all excuses.” Yuuri continued with a stammer. “All excuses spun by Alphas, the government in power, just to glorify yourselves and to remain the superior sex.”

Victor tensed, and Yuuri already knew to brace himself when the Alpha crossed the distance between them, pulling him up by the front of his shirt. 

And he found himself lost, lost in stormy blue orbs that reflected the depth of an ocean and the turmoil of his emotions all at once. 

“You don’t know what I’ve been through.” Victor's expression shifted, and all of a sudden Yuuri was painfully aware of the raw hurt that shone through his eyes, of the way his cheeks trembled slightly as he looked at him. “What you’re doing is useless. Save yourself from all this suffering.”

It was different. The atmosphere seemed different, but Yuuri couldn't care less about it. Not when he could feel the warm flush across his face, not when the Alpha was so close he could barely think straight. 

Yuuri drew in a breath, noting that Victor seemed almost unguarded after he spoke. This was it, the opening he was hoping for. 

"Still, you fooled me," Yuuri said in a whisper. "And I can never forgive that."

Before the Alpha could react, he delivered a swift blow to his jaw. His knuckles cracked, a satisfactory sound and Victor reeled, stumbling to the side. 

He looked utterly pissed. "You little-"

The door slammed open at that very moment, startling both occupants of the room. Victor stopped short of lunging at him, and Yuuri felt his mind draw a blank. 

"Victor! You didn't drug-" The redhead at the door paused, jaw falling when she realised exactly what she had walked into. "You-"

Yuuri didn't waste another second to deliberate. He leapt towards the door, shoving aside the female Alpha in the way. The redhead was shocked, but she grabbed onto his shoulders firmly-much to his chagrin- and held him in place. 

She gaped at him for a second, before frowning angrily. "You drugged him?"

To make things worse, a group of men was steadily approaching from down the narrow corridor. He recognised some faces, and the knowledge shook him to the core. 

Yuuri ceased his struggles. He acknowledged the female Alpha with a bitter smile, one that came off more imploring than anything else. 

"Please." He swallowed, feeling the bile rise to his throat. "Please Mila, let me go."

Obviously conflicted, the redhead allowed her stare to linger. The way she looked at him was the same, and Yuuri supposed that some things never did change, even in the heat of the moment. 

She had been particularly ruthless in her group, harassing and dissing his sex at any opportunity. But this time it was different.

It was different.

The way she appraised him with a milder glare, to the way she held him, firm but not too tight, as if she was almost afraid to hurt him. 

Yuuri tore his gaze away from her. He couldn't do this anymore. He should have expected it. It was all planned from the start, a plan that Victor had divulged to everyone else but the victim. 

Mila and the group of Alphas had always been in on Victor's plans. To be the only one to find him after he collapsed in the hallway, bringing him to the infirmary under the guise of kindness, was never a coincidence. 

Victor had planned it all out. Called his group of cronies to harass him at a particular time, just so he could play hero to gain his trust. Told them to keep an eye out for him, interfering only when necessary. 

He remembered vaguely, of Nicholas and Mila frowning at him from a distance, strangely uncomfortable with the fact that he was being hounded by Alphas back in the canteen. 

They were never all out to hurt him. They were simply concerned that the other Alphas might have their way with him before Victor could.

"You knew." Yuuri whispered. "You knew that this was going to happen."

Evgeni was never a student in the university. It was a convenient alias, one that Victor had used in lieu of his real name. Just in case someone knew of his name, in case someone connected the dots and revealed his true identity. 

The redhead flinched. 

That confirmed his suspicions. 

Yuuri shoved Mila aside, making a run down the corridor. Where his rationality failed, his instincts quickly took the wheel. He didn't know when he started running, but now that he started he couldn't stop, even when his lungs begged for air. 

If the halls looked similar before, they seemed completely identical now. What used to be an orderly set of corridors before was now a labyrinth, a living nightmare for an Omega trapped in an Alpha's den.

"Shit."

His heat was here. He could hear the blood pounding in his ears, head heavy with a type of high that could only be attributed to it. 

The hormone pills, Ometoxin, was packed with a concentrated dosage of Omegasterone. The very hormone that was integral in inducing heats and was responsible for maintaining pregnancy in Omegas. 

Chemically combined with a certain type of binding agent, the powdery white pill allowed the hormone to be easily absorbed into the system, and effects could be seen almost instantly. 

He had done his fair share of research.

In regards to his body that had been deprived of this hormone due to excessive intake of suppressants, ingesting such a large dose at once was lethal.

He could feel it. He only had a few more minutes to spare before his heat would hit him full on, and he didn't even want to imagine how fucked he would be then.

Yuuri tripped on air as he scrambled through the halls, feeling like a million eyes were on him all at once, watching his every move through a magnifying glass.

They were right. He had been a fool.

His emotions hadn't caught up with his thoughts, as if it was particularly difficult to process what he had just been witness to. 

Yuuri had deduced it himself, but that didn’t make it any easier to swallow the fact. And as he grappled for the options to abscond he found it increasingly harder to take each step.

It all made sense now. No, it shouldn't make sense. There was no way he would do something like that.

_Nothing was a coincidence._

Yuuri pulled out his phone with shaky hands, searching for the contact of the person in question. He brought the phone to his ear, holding onto it like a lifeline.

There was no answer. Yurio had never missed his calls before. 

He froze then, goose bumps flying across his skin when he heard it. It was almost undetectable, but it was there all the same. A soft, ominous padding from behind him, down the last corridor he had passed. 

He needed to hide, and fast.

Yuuri ran the rest of the way down the hall, treading as lightly as he could. A restroom tucked away in the corner, so unassuming that one would be easily fooled into thinking that he had entered the open lounge beside it. 

He didn't think twice. Slipping through the door, he made sure that it shut behind him inaudibly as he surveyed the small, cramped room in desperation.

He had to hide.

Five toilet cubicles. One fifth of a chance that he would be discovered if he was traced into this bathroom, and no chance of escape if Victor came after him himself. 

But he had to try.

Praying for a miracle, he darted into the last cubicle, hiding in the gap formed by the door and the wall. Perhaps if Victor had as poor an eyesight as he had without his glasses, he would be fine. 

A few seconds ticked by. A minute. Two minutes. He stopped counting by then, mind scrambled with numbers that held no importance.

Yuuri stood in place, as still as a statue. A solid five minutes had passed, and he was sure of it. Perhaps he was safe. 

It was almost surreal, fictitious even, when the footsteps stopped right outside the door. 

The door _creaked_ open.

Yuuri could detect his scent right away. It was unmistakable. The scent that he had gotten used to, the very scent that sent his head spinning and his thoughts in disarray.

The very person he thought he could trust. 

Slow, measured footsteps. They drew closer with each dulled thud against the tiles, and Yuuri forgot how to breathe.

"Your scent is very distinct."

The Alpha's shadow swept across the floor of the cubicles, every bit as intimidating as the actual person himself. 

"Have you heard of true mates, Yuuri?"

He could almost hear the smirk in his voice. A bang, and the first cubicle door was thrown open. 

"That's right, they don't exist. It’s simply a social construct, a concept made up for romantic fantasies."

The monologue disturbed him profoundly. Yuuri gnashed his teeth together, pushing down the whimper that threatened to escape. 

"You and I are very different. But because of our biological makeup, we are very compatible."

He didn't know what was worse. The fact that the Alpha was mouthing off about a concept that made absolute sense now that he had thought about it, or the knowledge that he was slowly approaching. 

"Our scents reflect our personality and our little idiosyncrasies. An individual would find another's scent particularly delectable because they are so opposite in nature."

A creak as the third door was pushed open, bouncing off the wall with a bang as loud as the last one. 

"It's a scientific concept that's not very well-known."

Victor's voice was too close. He needed to make a run for it, no matter how slim his chances were. The Alpha’s shadow stilled, and Yuuri knew that the action was deliberate, knew that he was just moments away from confronting him. 

“We could continue this game of hide and go seek, or you could save us both the trouble.”

It was stupid, really. Stupid to try to hide when it was already so obvious. 

His legs moved on their own accord, stiff and robotic-like, carrying him out of the bathroom stall.

Just as he had thought. The Alpha’s frame was blocking the only entry and exit, preventing any means of escape.

Victor gave him a kind smile, appraising him fondly- and Yuuri had never felt so small, so insignificant and powerless- in the face of an enemy. 

"Ever since I saw the video, I knew that there was something different about you. I was... intrigued."

Yuuri could smell his own fear, tinting the air with a sourness. The hormone pills negated the effects of the concealer he had applied on his neck, and the saturation of scents sent too many mixed signals.

Victor took a step forward and Yuuri felt his senses flare, now hyper-sensitive with the stirrings of his heat. 

“You needn’t be so afraid of me.” Victor remarked coolly. “I only want to make an offer. Won’t you hear me out?”

Yuuri shook his head wordlessly. His hair had already fallen back into place, mussed up from the tussle with the Alpha earlier. His boyish reflection stared back at him in the mirror, a forlorn memory of his younger days, face pale with a type of terror he was well-acquainted with. 

“It’s an offer you won’t be able to refuse.” His voice was softer now, almost as if he trying to coax a timid animal out of hiding. “You must have been through a lot, Yuuri. I can grant you protection.”

Perhaps it was his condescending tone, or the fact that he was _still_ trying to cajole him by filling his head with false belief. Indignance quickly flooded through him.

“No, you only came after me because of my influence.” The Omega growled. “You want to make me an example, to crush any other potential rebels of the system.”

Victor narrowed his eyes, but didn’t reply. 

"You are a cruel, manipulative person," Yuuri hissed. "You can cut the crap. I know that your father sent you here."

Victor clenched his fists and Yuuri met his glare challengingly, fisting his hands by his sides. 

"You're just a puppet. Your father promotes oppression, encouraging the violation of our rights for his own greed." 

The Alpha slammed a fist against the wall, and Yuuri could almost taste the other's fury on his tongue. 

"He is a megalomaniac. He doesn't care for the country, doesn't care for the Betas and Omegas," Yuuri scowled. "Can't you see how dire the situation is? Can't you tell that this is wrong?"

Victor's stare chilled him to his bones. "I can see that," The Alpha spoke, approaching the Omega slowly. "That's why I want to make a deal with you."

Yuuri eyed him with distrust. "What is it?"

"I'll give you what you want. Power to change. A say in the workings of the government body." 

"In return for?"

The corners of the Alpha's lips twitched. "In return for your custody for the next three years, until you're of age."

Yuuri blinked at him incredulously. "You want to take away my freedom?"

"It's only right that you have an Alpha mate just like the rest of the Omegas," Victor replied smugly. "You avoided transfer of custody to your assigned Alpha through some complications, but it's not too late to have another Alpha assigned to you before you are legally an adult."

So the government knew, of course. It was only a matter of time, and he had been suspecting their involvement in his affairs ever since he had openly criticised their system. 

That would explain why Victor knew that he lacked a mate at the very start. 

Under the Breeding Act, both families have to sign the Custody Transfer Agreement at a government agency when their children are ten years of age, which ensures that the Alpha family has the legal right to make decisions about the Omega's schooling and living arrangements.

Nine years ago, his parents had bribed the Alpha's family with a huge sum of money so they would deliberately mess up the agreement on _their part_ , letting him live without having to abide by their orders. 

Victor looked amused. "You cheated the system, and we only found that out a few months ago."

In official records, the Omega's name was already written under the Alpha's, an indication that they are paired under The Breeding Act, regardless of whether the signing process of the Custody Transfer Agreement went awry. 

The government pairs Omegas and Alphas at random, recording it as such in official documents while _assuming_ that the families will abide by the law and sign the documents dutifully to ensure the transfer of custody. The assumption created a loophole. The government remained blissfully unaware that his custody wasn’t transferred for a good eight years. 

"But because the Alpha's family was at fault for failing to sign the papers on their end, we couldn't take any legal action against you." A cryptic smile. "I wonder if you planned all this, Yuuri?"

The Alpha’s family accepted the deal, but they were evidently dissatisfied with the meager sum. Knowing that his family did not have the money they wanted on the table, they attempted to kidnap him to sell in an underground auction. 

Their plan failed miserably, however, when his sister intervened in time, and both families were left at a stalemate. 

The other family knew better than to threaten to expose their bribes, as the Katsuki's could easily sue them for attempted kidnapping on their part. With sufficient eyewitnesses and evidence, both families decided to let the matter go. After all, both had to suffer the consequences of this entire ordeal.

"Oh, I do wonder _how_ you planned all this."

Yuuri wasn't sure if the government had found out about their bribes- but evidently, they hadn’t, or Victor would be using it as blackmail now- and it would mean that his appointed Alpha's family had kept the secret well.

Yuuri slid his eyes away. "I never knew about the complications."

Victor had been so insistent on wooing him, all under the impression that Yuuri would fall for him, agreeing to be under his charge after he had mated him.

"So will you accept the deal, Yuuri?"

Victor actually thought that he was so easy, so willing to latch on to any Alpha- that having him agree to transfer his custody under his name- would be a breeze. But now that the Alpha knew he would never fall victim to his seductions, he was trying another approach to get what he wanted. 

“I'm not that young and naive, Victor.” Yuuri muttered. “But it seems that our government is childish, and quite petty at that too.”

Victor raised a brow. “Oh?”

“Just because I exposed their fraudulent acts and indirectly made them the target of international criticism, they feel fit to enact their revenge on me. A student, who was just fighting for equality.”

"You're not just any student, Yuuri." The Alpha said, folding his arms across his chest. "It's not easy to gain such a large group of supporters in that short a time." 

"And that does not speak well of you," Yuuri shot back. "Your reputation was at stake. Your father's, your own, and every single politician in the Parliament who had a hand in this."

Victor's smile wavered. 

“You were never here to help me, or present an offer,” Yuuri said scathingly. “You were sent here to teach me a lesson, to earn validation from your father.”

Victor chuckled darkly. “That’s a very specific guess.”

“You lured me here, hoping to coerce me to sign the contract when you realised that I would never willingly give myself to you." Yuuri hissed. "When the soft approach didn’t work, you tried to force yourself onto me, and when I put up a half-decent fight, you decided to propose an offer.”

The Alpha kept up his mask of neutrality, but Yuuri could see through his façade easily. 

“The thing is, I’m not stupid enough to believe that you did all that just to make a bargain with me.” The Omega snapped. “You trapped me, drugged me, _just_ to talk things out with me diplomatically?"

Yuuri seethed, filling the air with aggravation. "Well, I have news for you, Victor.” 

"You’re the epitome of Alphas in our society. Manipulative and hard-headed politicians, backing your principles of governance with obsolete views.” 

Victor twitched, flexing his fingers by his side. Yuuri narrowed his eyes as he delivered the final words that he would later come to regret.

“You're just like your father, and you _disgust_ me.”

The surge of raw pheromones hit him before anything else. Victor was absolutely livid, and the wave of emotions exuding from the Alpha overwhelmed him. 

"You think," Victor said slowly, "you think that I'm like my father?"

_Something was wrong._

The Omega in him withered in response. "It's true-"

The Alpha released a guttural snarl, one that was far from ordinary, shaking him to his very core. 

"If you really think that." Victor smiled maliciously, eyes flashing with a chilling wickedness. "Then I will prove you right."

His instincts screamed.

It was a gut feeling. Something primal in Victor had snapped, oozing malicious intent and desire.

_Run._

Yuuri made a mad dash towards the exit, squeezing through the half-open door. But Victor didn't move, didn't even make to stop him at all, and he should've known that he was never going to escape. 

It was almost arrogant, he thought, as he raced down the hallways, that Victor didn't even care to lift a finger to stop him. 

It hit him then.

His heat came all at once, and he felt the wetness run down his legs before his legs buckled. He hit the floor harshly, sliding the distance with a pained hiss. The slight carpet burns stung his arms, but the pain was nothing compared to the crippling cramps of his heat. 

Victor knew that he would never make it out, not with the drug in his system. 

His eyes watered, and Yuuri buried his face into the carpet with an angry cry. Disappointment. Anger directed towards himself, for placing himself in such a vulnerable position.

He could vaguely register the footsteps approaching him.

Heartbreak. The betrayal cut deep into his heart, bleeding into scars that would never fully heal. 

Arms wrapped around him, firm and unrelenting, and Yuuri thrashed briefly, weakly, as Victor carried him back where they came. 

A fragment of memory, so similar to the situation he was in. Back when he had collapsed in university, and was carried to the infirmary in the same fashion. 

A memory that carried no meaning- not anymore- when he knew of Victor's true intentions.

Victor kicked open a door, marching into an empty session room with clear intent. He tossed him onto the bed, turning around to latch the door quickly. 

Yuuri fought against the urge to shut his eyes and ride out the waves of pain from his abdomen. He felt drained. His energy coffers were barren, and the drug had weakened him. 

"If only you knew what my father was actually like."

The dip in the mattress alerted him of his company, and Yuuri bit back a whimper when he was forced onto his back. Victor stared back at him, eyes clouded with animalistic lust, and he knew that all rationality had fled him.

"He would have never given you a choice to disagree." The Alpha muttered dangerously, baring his fangs. "He would have had his way with you long ago, whether you liked it or not."

"I practiced so much patience with you, Yuuri. So _much_ patience."

Yuuri clenched his eyes shut, feeling his breaths quicken with a shot of fear.

"I gave you so much space, so much time. I gave you a choice to willingly give yourself to me."

"Y-you never gave me a choice." Yuuri cried, throat spluttering to life. "You're not giving me any choice now!"

Victor snarled, and Yuuri felt his lower lip tremble. 

"You don't know how well you have it. You don't know what is suffering, and you dare accuse me of being like my father?"

The Alpha leaned down, and Yuuri knew, he _knew_.

A hand fisted his shirt, ripping his collar clean past his shoulder. The cold air hit his heated skin and Yuuri shrieked, lashing out at the Alpha blindly. 

_He wasn't thinking clearly._

Victor's pupils shrunk to slits as he eyed his exposed nape, opening his mouth to bare his sharp teeth. 

Time slowed. Victor lunged forward all at once, fangs hovering above the collarbone for a split second. A moment of hesitance. Then searing agony, and his view washed over in red.

The pain was excruciating. Yuuri screamed, jerking his head upwards as every jostle sent ripples of pain through his shoulder, back and neck. The burning sensation of the bite ate away at his consciousness, and he forgot how to struggle. 

He could feel a slick wetness running down his back, staining the pristine sheets a horrid colour. 

He was transported back to another time.

He was no longer in a bedroom. Someone loomed over him, their shadow heavy in the dim lighting. He could make out their features now, a baby-faced boy. Young. Just like how he had been. 

The boy smiled. Was it directed at him? He couldn’t remember if he smiled back. Then his expression twisted. The smile turned cruel, dripping with venom and greed. He had been confused, he had been naïve. 

Childish innocence. 

He lost it that day.

Yuuri remembered cowering against the bathroom tiles, remembered the crippling fear that held him still. The messy bites, the acute pain, the blood staining the floor.

The memory had haunted him every day of his childhood, until he decided to _forget_. He threw it to the deep recesses of his mind, buried it under newfound drive and determination. 

He wasn’t supposed to remember, he was supposed to forget. 

Perhaps he didn’t try hard enough. 

The red smudge across Victor's cheek was a perfect shade with the liquid staining his fingers as he brought it away from his neck. 

The smell. The metallic smell of blood and arousal filled his nose, and Yuuri felt something in him break at the realisation.

Victor had marked him. 

He was bitten carelessly, and he could tell that the bite wound was far too deep, far too sloppy. It would scar. It would definitely leave a scar.

He wasn’t sure when exactly Victor had pulled away. The Alpha was looking at him now, watching him with wide eyes. He had regained his composure. He had marked him.

Silence reigned for a good minute. Yuuri stared vacantly at the sheets, now sullied with scarlet stains. 

A sniffle broke the quiet.

"It would have been fine if you just disagreed with my views."

Tears fell freely, like water from a broken dam.

"I-it would have been fine."

His knuckles turned white as he gripped the sheets, as if it was the only thing that was keeping him grounded.

"S-so, why? Why must you do this?" Broken sobs tumbled from his lips, trembling from the surge of grief and betrayal. "Why must you deceive me like this?"

Victor looked stupefied. But Yuuri couldn't care less about the stupid, dumbfounded expression plastered on his face.

"I've been bullied and scorned all my life by those who share your secondary gender," Yuuri gritted out. "And I trusted you, I trusted you, I d-decided to trust you and you-"

“I... I don't understand,” Victor finally said. "I just don't understand why you keep going against us."

“Of course you don't,” Yuuri choked. The salty droplets stung his wound, but the pain was nothing compared to the emotional turmoil. "Have you walked a mile in my shoes? Have you seen what I've seen?" 

His vision blurred with an onslaught of fresh tears, throat clogging up with emotion. "H-have you felt what I've felt?"

_Omega’s hearts are as fragile as glass._

"You haven't," Yuuri rasped, "So how could you possibly understand why I'm doing all this?"

The emotions swelling in his chest became too much for him to contain, and he turned away, muffling his sobs into his sleeve. The muscles in his neck pulled taut, aggravating the bite mark. 

"H-how could you even possibly begin to understand?"

Victor remained speechless. Yuuri hadn’t moved an inch from his spot. Neither had Victor. Both were caught in each other’s gaze, but for two very different reasons. 

“I’m used to being hurt. Used to all the suffering I had to go through because of my secondary gender.” 

The tears wouldn’t stop. “B-but I wanted to give Alphas a chance. I-I wanted to give you a c-chance.”

Victor closed his eyes, turning away.

"I’ve been wondering if you were secretly fooling me,” Yuuri bit out, through watery sobs. "Everyone was against it. But I wanted to prove myself wrong, I wanted to prove them wrong-"

_For your sake._

"So what have I done to you?" Heart-breaking cries wrecked his form. "What have I done to deserve all of this?"

_You’ve shattered his to pieces._

"You should've known that the government won't let you go unscathed." The Alpha replied, but it seemed half-hearted. "You... you should have expected this, attempting to defame them like that."

"I'm trying to make the lives of Omegas and Betas in the country better!" Yuuri wailed. "They're leading miserable and repressed lives because of the likes of you! And you either do not care, or your pride refuses to let you acknowledge that!"

He broke down into another fit of sobs after that, lowering his head as he wiped at his face fervently. 

Victor hesitated. He moved forward to cup his cheek after a moment of thought, and Yuuri jerked back, ignoring the searing pain that shot up his neck. 

"D-don't you dare!" He shrieked, slapping his hands away with unnecessary force. "Don't you dare!"

Victor withdrew his hands, looking conflicted. "I don't understand. Shouldn't I... just kiss you or something?"

If anything, Yuuri looked more crestfallen.

"I c-can't believe you." He stammered, and the words won't come together, won't stay together.

"Kiss me? After all you've done?" He eyed the Alpha as if he was seeing him for the first time, in a completely different light. "Do you really think that will fix anything?"

"How can you be so cold?" Yuuri gritted his teeth. "How can you be so heartless?"

Victor's eyes flashed. "I just wanted to-"

"What did you want?" Yuuri hissed. "You wanted me to obey you? You wanted me to submit to you because taming the Omega upstart was a good way to earn brownie points?"

Victor reeled back. Bullseye.

"You marked me forcefully." Yuuri spat through tears. "And right now, you're going to offer me an ultimatum. I could either choose to sign the custody papers, or you would finish what you started."

Hearing his fate from his own mouth did not make it any easier. 

Yuuri dug his nails into his palms. So hard, that it drew blood. "Go on, Victor. You already know which choice I'm going to make."

He smiled sadly, tasting another tear on his lips. "I won't resist. I can't resist, anyway."

 _The drug wasn't wearing off anytime soon._

Victor stilled. A twitch, and Yuuri winced, half-expecting the Alpha to hit him in anger. But the blow never came, and Victor reached into his pocket, unfolding several papers.

The Alpha glanced at them briefly, meeting Yuuri's gaze. A quick twist, and he tore the papers into halves, then quarters, and finally to shreds. 

He clenched his fist, discarding the scraps on the floor, and Yuuri closed his eyes. He waited for the Alpha to pin him to the bed, to tear away at what was left of his clothes, reducing his dignity to shreds.

Just like what he had done to the custody papers.

But he never did.

Without another word, Victor left the bed. Keys were tossed at his feet, and the Alpha pinched his nose with a sharp inhale. He stumbled to the bathroom, pausing to send him a side-glance. Meaningful for all its worth, conveying words that went unsaid.

Yuuri felt his eyes water once more.

The Alpha's gaze softened, but only for a moment. Then he turned, shutting the door behind him with a click. 

A wave of relief flooded through him, and Yuuri hunched over, muffling the rest of his cries in the soiled sheets. 

_Leave._

He reached for the keys shakily, gripping it too tightly. The cold metal sliced into his palms, but it only made him squeeze it harder.

_Leave now._

He shoved the sheets off his body, holding up his torn sleeve as he hobbled to the door. A quick twist. The key-locked latch opened easily, and Yuuri glanced back, half-afraid that Victor might come storming out of the bathroom. 

But the room stayed as silent as ever, and not a single peek could be heard from him. 

_Leave, before I change my mind._

The burn from his bite mark had ebbed away somewhat, but every single movement still sent jolts of electricity down his spine.

Yuuri nudged the door open, stumbling out into the hallway. The crisp air was a relief. The room contained so many pheromones that it debilitated his senses. 

The pain still remained, however, and his wound throbbed, begging for attention. He had been marked for the first time in years, and his body had not recovered from the shock. 

Yuuri stumbled through the hallways blindly. He had no idea where he was going, and he was too exhausted to care, too worn out to entertain the worry that he might be seen in this state.

His phone buzzed. 

Yuuri leaned against a wall before picking up the call. 

_"Piggy? Where the fuck are you?"_

Tears pricked at his eyes. His spirits soared at the sound of a familiar voice, yet it shattered his heart all the same.

_"Hello? Are you there? Where are you?"_

His throat constricted, and he found that he couldn't speak, couldn't break down his thoughts.

_"...Piggy?"_

He couldn't speak. He could only hold the phone by his ear, drowning in a sea of emotions. Heartbreak.

_"...Yuuri...fuck, which room did he bring you to?"_

The voice at the end cracked a little. It must have been the static.

_"Piggy... fuck, fucking speak to me, please..."_

He was always in on his plan. Phichit had been right all along. 

_"I-I'm coming. Stay right there, okay? I'm coming to get you."_

His hand quivered, and he hung up the call quickly. Opening his contacts, he hovered his thumb over a number. 

_Just don't expect me to be there if it all fails._

He couldn’t. He couldn’t call Phichit. 

_I'm coming to get you._ Anger rose in him suddenly and he turned off his phone, throwing it onto the carpet harshly. 

Of course, they had a tracker placed in his phone. Victor had been monitoring his every movement ever since they had met in the infirmary. 

It would explain so many things now. How Victor was able to locate him every single time, and how he had fallen into each and every trap with frustrating ease.

He was foolish to even think he could trust anyone.

The wound sent another stab of pain through his skull and he lost his footing, collapsing onto the floor with a groan. 

His body was reacting to the bonding mark. He could feel, vicariously, every single one of Victor's emotions. Anger, disappointment. Another emotion he couldn't quite place. So similar to his own feelings that he could hardly tell them apart.

But it only lasted for a brief moment, and Yuuri found himself gasping for breath, emotionally drained beyond belief. 

The bite mark simmered, leaving a delicious burn that sent tingles through his body. The release of chemicals. Once his body had acknowledged his partner, his heat would be satiated, if only for a moment.

Disgust. He felt tainted, knowing that he shared an intangible connection with someone he now scorned with all his heart. 

"Piggy?"

Yuuri turned his water-laden gaze to the Alpha standing at the end of the corridor. The blond looked like he had been running around for hours, hunched over on his knees. Catching his breath, watching him with frantic eyes. 

He was a sight for sore eyes. He hadn't seen him for months, and the nostalgia stung. His hair seemed longer.

But when Yurio started staggering towards him, Yuuri stood quickly. For every step he advanced, he took another step back. 

Soon the blond halted in his tracks, a look of bewilderment crossing his features. The distance between them had not shortened in the least.

A flash of hurt. "Listen, I can explain."

But Yuuri was already shaking his head, shutting his eyes in silent resignation.

"I didn't know he was going to force himself on you like that," Yurio hissed. "I never wanted this to happen."

"You lied to me," Yuuri whispered. The same words, recycled over and over. The recurring thought that drove him to the breaking point. “I-I can’t believe I trusted you too.”

Yurio visibly deflated.

He wanted to run. He didn't want to face him now, not when he was still recovering from the shock of one betrayal. 

So he did. He made it the rest of the way down the hallway, but Yurio came after him, catching his wrist. "Yuuri, please-"

Yuuri twisted free with an uncharacteristic whimper, and Yurio faltered at the look in his eyes. Fear.

"What the fuck, I'm not going to hurt you!"

Yurio made a grab for his shoulders before he could run off. Yuuri tried to writhe away again, but the blond had him in a firm grip and he cried out. Another pathetic, weak whimper.

Yurio's scowl wilted. 

Before he could struggle, the blond had engulfed him in a tight hug, burying his face into his unwounded shoulder. 

"Yuuri, fuck. Please."

Yuuri trembled in his arms. 

"Three months ago, my grandfather disappeared." 

"They refused to search for him. They wouldn't accept the missing person report." The blond dug his nails into his back. "They wouldn't help, unless I did them a favour."

His scent was so familiar. So comforting, and Yuuri had to hold himself back from returning the embrace.

"It was a fucking mistake. It was all for nothing." 

The blond pulled away then, and it was then that Yuuri noticed how dull his eyes were. Yurio quivered, and Yuuri couldn't recall any other time where the blond looked as vulnerable as he did now.

"Y-you had no choice," Yuuri stammered.

"No, I had a fucking choice." Yurio growled. "And I messed up, I didn't know that he was going to do that to you-"

"Then why did you lead me here?" Yuuri whispered. "Why did you delete the contents of my blog?"

Yurio looked crushed. "I-I was told to. He told me that he only wanted you to get reattached to another Alpha mate."

"You knew he was the PM's son. You knew the danger I was in the entire time."

"I swear to god!" The blond snapped angrily. "I never thought he would fucking touch you without your consent!"

Yuuri shook his head wildly. "You knew, you knew all this while-"

Yurio fumed. "He told me that he was only going to persuade you to sign the custody papers under his name. He said if you agreed, the law wouldn't come after you!"

"The law couldn't charge me anyway!" Yuuri cried, voice lilting in exasperation. "I did nothing wrong on my end!"

Yurio hesitated. "He... lied?"

"He was never going to give me a choice! Can't you see that?" Moisture gathered in his eyes again, and his mark throbbed with a dull ache. "He's doing it all for credit from his father!"

“And I trusted you,” Yuuri spat tearfully. “I shouldn’t have, but how did I know-”

A sudden throb from his shoulder cut him off, and a dizzy spell hit him like a truck. He lost his balance, tethering forward, but Yurio caught him easily. 

The blond’s eyes widened fractionally when he caught a whiff of his scent, turning him around to examine the bite mark on his shoulder. 

“You smell like him.” 

Yuuri bit back a groan as another wave of pain turned his mind into a blank slate. If it wasn’t for Yurio, he would’ve blacked out on the floor. 

A snarl, followed by the cracking of knuckles. “I’m going to fucking kill him.”

He was held gently as he was led forward, but his legs gave out beneath him and Yurio cussed a blue streak. “You… You’re really weak, piggy. What the fuck did he do to you?”

“You should know.” Came the soft reply, and Yurio’s face fell. “Mila must have told you about it.”

Yuuri glanced up, allowing a small smile to flit across his lips. “I may be kept in the dark for the most part, but it’s not difficult to figure it out now.”

“I didn’t know he was going to drug you.” The Alpha bit out. “If I knew that he was meaning to force you into an agreement-”

“But you knew.” Yuuri replied. “You were trying to convince me not to go that night.” 

Yurio closed his mouth, swallowing his words.

“You knew that he was going to force himself on me.” Yuuri said tiredly. “You knew. Everyone did. Yet I put my faith in the wrong people.”

He couldn’t even bring himself to feel upset anymore. “Why are you still lying?” 

Yurio averted his gaze. “I knew Victor from way back,” he said quietly. “Mila, Chris, we were all together as kids.”

Yuuri’s sight wavered. “So that’s it.”

“But I can explain-”

“I’m tired.” Yuuri smiled at him dejectedly, shutting his eyes. Then softer, he breathed, “I’m tired, Yurio.”

The blond's face softened. “I... I know.”

Yurio's eyes were glossy. Have they always been that wet?

“L-let’s get you home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Edit** : This fic will be rewritten. After this chapter, the events in the rewritten form will be very different from the original (this fic). Continue to read if you wish to, but the original is discontinued. 
> 
> \---  
> The pieces of the puzzle will fall into place, slowly but surely. (It's not over yet.) 
> 
> ...Things will only get better from here on out.
> 
> Feel free to scream at my [sideblog](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/chibifoxx-fic), or ask any questions there. Updates and extras (Timeline/abo verse workings) are also posted there.  
> \---  
> Since I’ve been asked, here is the rough timeline for the fic so far. (Do note that this is what I have in mind for now, but it may change slightly along the way)
> 
> **Story Segments:**
> 
> 1st segment:  
> Prologue  
> University Arc (We are here)
> 
> [Time skip] (Next Chapter)
> 
> 2nd segment: _(Middlegame)_  
>  Union Arc  
> Uprising Arc
> 
> 3rd segment: _(Endgame)_  
>  1st Election Arc [Chapter: Checkmate]  
> 1st Re-Election Arc [Chapter: Stalemate]
> 
> 4th segment: _(Non-Zero-Sum Game)_  
>  2nd Re-Election Arc [Chapter: Modus Vivendi]  
>  **Finale**


	12. Oh, How Childishly Faithful I Was

He liked his hair.

He liked the way it reflected the light, liked the way it cascaded over his shoulders in wispy waves, liked the way it blanketed him in an air of mystique and meekness.

And if there was one thing he could say with absolute certainty, it was the fact that he loved how it made heads turn.

But oh, did it commanded attention for all the wrong reasons.

He was called a charmer by some, while others regarded him with looks of disgust. For his hair was tinted a ghastly white, so very different from his parents' own.

An abomination.

A shameful product of a pregnancy gone wrong.

There was never another quite like him. A rare shade, such an outlandish, perculiar colour. And unnerve the people it did.

He never did quite care, too caught up in his own fantasies and entrenched in his world of make-believe that it hardly mattered.

It hardly mattered at all.

His mother had sung him to sleep every night, soothing his tumultuous thoughts and tucking him in with a gentleness that he could never quite forget.

She sung praises about his hair. Extinguished the spark of self-doubt that surfaced in times like these, when all was quiet and the world seemed to only turn for them both.

Auburn locks, so different from his own. A warm colour. Nothing more, nothing less. A reminder of home, a comforting sight.

He loved her hair.

A 'recessive gene', they claimed. But he never quite understood these scientific terms, never quite bothered to do so at that tender age.

'Albinism', proposed another. He never cared more than his mother did. Though he did wonder if there was more to what she had let on, more to the scratches streaked across her thin arms and the bags beneath her eyes.

More to the shiver of her frail frame as the night fell, when the room got chillier after his heaters had been removed.

The very night after, they left.

They boarded the earliest train at the crack of dawn, and never looked back. Or so he thought.

His mother was kind to him. Smothered him with all the care and affection a mother could possibly provide, meeting all his needs halfway with a smidgen of affection.

He loved her, with all his heart.

They fled to the countryside, near a small, peaceful town that provided them with all the resources they could ever want.

They lived like that for months. A year passed, and he only grew wiser, grew more independent and free-spirited.

Though he never understood why.

He never understood why they left so quickly, so abruptly. She refused to speak of it, and so he did too, swallowing his curiosity like it was a dollop of bitter medicine.

His mother only grew odder.

He supposed that he should have noticed the change earlier, in hindsight. He should have seen the signs, should have known.

The days passed, slow and mundane, and he never was any the wiser.

He had been childish. 

It struck him only when he had arrived home that day, greeted by a vacant house and a latched door.

But it never concerned him more than it should have, for he always had the keys on his person.

He waited for a good few days. Days soon turned to months. Watching, waiting, as the leaves wilted off the great oak tree by his window, painting the great earth with splashes of autumn.

Sheets of scarlet and gold skirted the trees, carpeting the backyard and the barren forest.

He would never grow tired of waiting.

Skeletal trees heavy with ice, a picture perfect mosaic of a winter scenery.

He was running out of money.

Skipping meals to minimise his expenses, the cardboards emptied out too fast, and the pile of savings his mother left behind only shrank. 

He kept his door bolted firmly to ward off any thieves. Living in constant fear, never leaving his room for days on end. Soon the crisp air tasted dull, and his limbs became lethargic, and his heart only grew heavier.

He was running out of patience. It was running thin, and as the days went by he grew tired. He grew tired of waiting, became weary of hoping.

He remembered loving her hair, remembered his deep admiration for the only parental figure he grew up with. He had been confused, he had been naïve.

Childish faith.

He lost it that day.

He had never acted like that before, and that had been the start of something malevolent, a catalyst for a brand of hatred that he had never tasted up to this point.

The chairs were smashed with ruthless force, the curtains scratched to shreds, and above his boiling anger he could hear his own screams bouncing off the walls.

And scream he did. He screamed in frustration, screamed at himself for his pathetic state, for holding on to someone he knew would never return.

And through it all, he could distinctly remember the heart-wrenching betrayal, a hurt he had buried in his heart till this very day.

He never understood why.

The sky was a palette of silver-grey when he saw him again. A patchwork of sordid colours, and the pattering of the rain only seemed louder in the empty house.

He came to him, wrapped in riches and appraised him as he stood at the leaking porch, drenched, with a key in hand.

"Do you understand now?"

A simple question. It hit him like a truck, and the air rushed out of his lungs in a painful wheeze.

"She left you." Blue eyes, similar yet so different from his own, crinkled in sadness. "And you were waiting."

He clenched his eyes shut, shaking his head in a determined refusal. In stubborn denial.

She would never leave. She would come back. He knew her. Knew her better than he did.

But none of these thoughts made it past his mouth, and his voice cracked from disuse.

"She didn't come back."

He felt the moisture collect at the rim of his eyes, and he gritted his teeth, biting back his emotions. "She wouldn't come back, no matter how long I waited."

His father looked sympathetic. "I know."

Perhaps he had been gullible.

A hand carded through his hair, and he almost whimpered at the warm touch, almost forgot how much he missed the contact.

His father's lips twitched into a smile, one he dismissed as heartfelt sincerity rather than anything else.

"Let's go home, Viktor."

Perhaps his hurt had blinded him.

_Silvery strands adorned the floor._

Perhaps it didn't matter, not anymore.

* * *

He only returned back to the dorms two days later.

Yurio knew, instinctively, that he couldn't bring him back to the college in his disheveled state.

So the Alpha did the only logical thing one would have done in that situation.

Yuuri could not have been grateful for that, and after stumbling through the doors of his three-room apartment, he swayed and promptly collapsed on the floor.

Absolute exhaustion.

Yurio winced and attempted to shake him awake, but he stayed unresponsive. "Fuck, at least make it to the room."

"...sorry, Yurio."

If anything, the blond's eyes turned even sadder. He lifted the Omega onto his shoulders, and once again Yuuri had to marvel at how strong the other actually was.

He supposed that Alphas were naturally gifted with strength, after all.

"Why are you like this?"

Yuuri perked up at the whisper, allowing his eyes to slide shut against the soft fabric of the Alpha's jacket. "...I'm sorry..."

He felt the low rumble of a growl from the body beneath him. A creak of the door, and Yurio dropped him onto a bed none too gently. "Shut up."

Yuuri flinched visibly, raising both hands to shield his face from anything, anything at all.

Silence.

"...what happened to you?"

He lowered his hands, and Yurio was looking at him almost quizzically.

"I'm not going to hurt you." The Alpha said, softer this time. "So don't act like this."

Yuuri shook his head. He knew what Yurio was alluding to, knew that he was acting odd. But try as he would, he couldn't muster up the energy to face them anymore.

He shifted to the far end of the bed.

Yurio snapped.

"What the fuck." The Alpha cussed in a low hiss. "Why are you like this? Why do you look like you've given up?"

Yuuri flinched, turning his head away.

"I'm tired, Yurio." Yuuri replied, but he wouldn't meet his eyes. "I'm sorry-"

"Stop apologising." The Alpha seethed. "Stop apologising, what are you even apologising for?"

His head spun. Yuuri turned his eyes to the floor. His fingers trembled, and he reached up to cover his mark. "I... don't know."

The Alpha stepped towards him, and Yuuri stiffened.

"Let's wash that wound." The blond growled, holding out a hand. "Before it gets infected."

Yuuri shook his head again, declining the proffered hand. But he was still unsteady on his feet, and as he tried to move to the toilet Yurio had to catch him again before he fell.

Yurio hesitated, easing him back onto the bed. "Just... just stay here."

The Alpha left the room after that, coming back with some tissues in hand and a bottle of saline solution. He beckoned the Omega to him, and after much coaxing, Yuuri hesitantly bared his mark to him.

He shivered as Yurio dabbed at the bite mark, cleaning away the crusted blood with gentle swipes across his broken skin.

The atmosphere lightened. Yuuri could feel clear regret emanating from the Alpha behind him as he ripped open a sterilized packet of gauze pads.

A whisper, an apology so soft that he almost missed it.

Yuuri shut his eyes, digging his nails into his palms. His collar was tugged down carefully, exposing more of his nape as Yurio made quick work of disinfecting the wound.

Another shaky whisper, conveying the same emotions that Yuuri could detect in his scent.

The Alpha's hand motions grew jerky as he adjusted the pad over the bite, pressing down the outer bandages a tad too hard.

Yuuri winced in pain. The mood plummeted.

Yuuri turned around the instant he heard it, and Yurio leapt back. The Alpha threw the wipes onto the floor, hiding his face as he raised an arm to cover his eyes.

A soft snivel, and his heart ached at the sight. "Yurio-"

"Don't you fucking apologise." Yurio snapped, before he could continue. "Don't you dare say sorry, not when I'm the one who fucked this all up!"

Yuuri stuttered, and the blond glared. Yurio leaned forward, slapping a firm hand over his mouth.

"Don't you fucking blame yourself." The Alpha growled, and Yuuri's eyes widened as their gazes met. "Stop blaming yourself for everything."

"You were drugged, marked and betrayed, and yet you're still faulting yourself?"

Yuuri felt his voice wilt in his throat.

"When will you ever learn? When will you stop being so selfless?"

Yurio's glare never wavered, but unlike the past few times, Yuuri didn't flinch away.

"Get angry! Get mad with me!"

Yurio was heaving now, red cheeks glossy in the lighting.

"Punch me, piggy! I fucking tricked you!"

_“Fight back.”_

Yuuri simply stared at him, and the Alpha's hand quivered across his lips.

"Why are you still trusting me despite all this?" The blond gritted through his teeth, "I'm just a rotten Alpha, just like all the others!"

Yuuri reached up to pry his hand away from his mouth, but Yurio only leaned forward, tightening his grip. "No, don't say anything."

The Alpha sniffed, and Yuuri froze.

"D-don't you dare forgive me so easily."

The Omega closed his eyes for a long moment. Then he hesitated, reaching forward to brush at his cheek tentatively. Erasing all evidence.

The touch seemed to snap Yurio to his senses, and he stared at Yuuri in bemused shock.

"You're really weird, piggy."

_“That’s it?” He asked, incredulous. “That’s all you’ve got?”_

_“I don’t want to fight you.” Yuuri repeated exasperatedly. “I won’t fight you.”_

Yurio dropped his hand, expression shrouded by his fringe. "How are you so strong? What kind of heart do you fucking possess?"

"I... don't believe that Yurio would do that for no reason." Yuuri gave him a bitter smile, one that was sadder than anything else. "Please, Yurio. Prove me right."

Yurio faltered.

"You must have been suffering all this time too."

The punch came without warning. His arm shot up reflexively to block the hit, well-seasoned in deterring offensive moves. Yurio knew that, too.

"What the-"

"Fight me, Omega."

_Show me you can defend yourself._

This time, Yuuri faltered. 

_“Yurio, I don’t want to fight you.”_

“Yurio... I don’t want to fight you.” The words left his mouth, and the spoken lines were mechanical and well-rehearsed.

The blond's expression was indecipherable, and Yuuri half-flinched, expecting the Alpha to blow up again. Just like he did a year ago. 

"I never will," Yuuri added softly, lowering his arms. 

Instead of delivering another punch, Yurio's fist tightened briefly, going slack against his arm. A third whisper, so uncharacteristic yet so fitting. 

"I know. I know you won't."

_“You’re not just any Alpha!” Yuuri retorted, eyes blazing. “I know you!”_

_The blond smiled wryly. “Is that so? You’re confident that I wouldn’t turn against you?”_

_“That’s…” The Omega trailed off. “You wouldn’t do something like that.”_

Wetness slid down his cheeks too fast. 

"Oh, Yurio."

Yuuri wrapped his arms around his friend tightly. Half-hearted pushes quickly dissolved into a tight hold onto his tattered shirt, and Yurio buried his face into his torn shirt with a broken whimper.

He felt his heart sink.

"Tell me. Tell me what happened, please."

The front of his shirt was wet against his chest, but Yurio only leaned into his touch.

"I'm sorry."

Yuuri closed his eyes.

"I know, you've said it three times already."

* * *

Yurio had shoved some spare clothes into his arms after he had taken a quick rinse, pointedly diverting his stare. The blond stayed uncharacteristically quiet after that, helping him redress his wound after he had showered.

The Alpha's sweater clung a bit too tightly to his frame, but Yuuri was grateful all the same, beaming at his friend appreciatively.

He fell asleep sometime after that. The blood loss knocked him unconscious, and as the adrenaline rush subsided his body grew numb. 

His heat had subsided due to the mark, but he knew that he would feel it's full effect in about a week. His body was currently adjusting to the bond, and during that time his heat would be delayed. 

A small positive, in the mass of negativity.

Yurio had been insistent on getting him to rest, and he vaguely remembered the Alpha lying next to him, a comforting warmth against his back before he slipped into a dreamless slumber. 

It was small - cramped with two people sharing the single bed - but he understood the significance of it, knew that Yurio would never allow just anyone into his room, much less his own bed.

He must have slept for a long time. 

Exhaustion and fatigue kept him at bay for hours, and he barely stirred when the blond shifted, slipping out of the comforters with the dexterity of a feline. 

He missed the way the blond turned back to give him a once over, missed the atypical way emerald pools softened. 

_"You should rest."_

_Yuuri gave him a tired smile. "But I haven't heard from you yet," the Omega protested, sinking into the pillows with reluctance._

_"Shut up and rest, or I'll knock you out myself." The Alpha said warningly, but his concerned undertone gave it all away._

_Yuuri closed his eyes in resignation. He felt a weight on his side, and he knew that Yurio had settled in beside him._

_"Perhaps it was for the best."_

_Yuuri cracked open an eye to see the blond staring at the ceiling vacantly._

_"I have nothing to lose, now." A pause. "Nothing people could threaten me with."_

_Yuuri frowned. "Where is he?"_

_Yurio scoffed, exposing his fangs. "I've been asking that same question for months, piggy."_

_A spike of anger. "Did he do it?"_

_"Who, him?" Yurio glanced at him, narrowing his eyes at nothing in particular. "He doesn't have the balls to do it."_

_"Didn't he plan everything?" Yuuri questioned. "Didn't he blackmail you with your grandfather?"_

_"I..." Yurio hesitated then, looking conflicted. "He did not."_

_Yuuri froze, and the Alpha wouldn't meet his eyes._

_"He has Alzheimer’s. It worsened a few months back, and sometimes he would go out on walks and never return."_

_Yurio clenched his fists, bunching up the sheets with his fingers. "We didn't have the money to hire a caretaker, so I moved back here from the college dorms."_

_The Alpha closed his eyes. "It worked, for a while."_

_Yuuri listened to him in silence._

_"But when I left for school that day, he broke out of the apartment by himself." Yurio bit his lip, suppressing the pain that surfaced as he spoke. "Even after I made sure to hide the key."_

_Yuuri's visage softened. "Yurio..."_

_"By the time I returned, the police was already there. The neighbours phoned them." The Alpha clenched his fists. "Victor was waiting for me."_

_Hearing the name sent a jolt down his mark, and Yuuri hissed, lurching forward. His wound throbbed, and he stemmed the flow of thoughts that threatened to break through his mental barrier._

_He didn't need to feel his emotions. Not now._

_"Fuck... I can't believe he marked you," Yurio hissed. "We need to destroy the bond, find someone else to mark you-"_

_Yuuri paled, shaking his head fervently._

_"No." He said too firmly, too quickly. "J-just let it heal."_

_Yurio winced, and he knew that the Alpha had seen the flash of fear._

_"Shit. Fuck, I shouldn't have suggested it-"_

_"Nevermind that." Yuuri averted his gaze. "What about him? What did he do?"_

_Yurio winced. "He knew of my circumstances, and he was aware of my connections. So he made an offer."_

_For some odd reason, he knew, intuitively, what Victor had offered Yurio._

_"He would guarantee the safety of your grandfather if you would help him get close to me."_

_Yurio gaped at him. He stole the words straight from his mouth. The shock quickly dissolved into anger and indignance._

_"I... I was desperate. And I made some foolish choices."_

_Yuuri watched him for a moment._

_"It wasn't foolish," he replied, exhaustion creeping into his voice. "You did what you thought was best for yourself."_

_"It was." The Alpha murmured. "It was, because I knew that they wouldn't find him."_

_He looked at the Omega then, with a tinge of regret and sadness._

_"But I kept holding onto the hope that he would be fine."_

_Yuuri's brows knitted together. "How could you ever know?"_

_The Alpha had taken to staring at his palms with a glazed look in his eyes._

_"How did you know that it was futile?"_

_Yurio averted his gaze. "He left a note. Told me not to find him, and that he left on purpose."_

_Silence._

_"He didn't want to become a liability."_

_The scents in the room grew heavy._

_"He told me he was safe. Told me not to worry about him anymore, said I should take what was left of the family savings and move out after college."_

_"Yurio..." He trailed off when the Alpha shook his head in response._

_"I knew, yet I was selfish." Yurio spat venomously. "I only cared about finding him, and it wasn't out of concern for his well-being."_

_"It was because I _needed_ him."_

_Yurio refused to look at him._

_"And because of my selfishness, I stabbed you in the back. It was completely unnecessary, but I did it anyway, did it all because of some stupid attachment."_

__The raw guilt was eating him alive._ _

_"I was never blackmailed," Yurio snarled, and it became clear that the anger was directed at himself more than anyone else. "I was just weak."_

_The admittance physically pained him._

_"I knew that you were in danger. I knew that there was a possibility that you could be raped, even killed, yet I could not see what was important."_

_"You did it on purpose," Yuuri murmured weakly._

_"I did." Yurio clutched the bedframe with an unyielding grip. "I'm the same as all the rest of those stinking Alphas. Those that step on you over and over, and I only realised it too late."_

_A stab of hurt. Yuuri inhaled sharply._

_"I can understand if you never want to see me again. Hell, you should never forgive me for this."_

_The Omega twisted his body away from him, and the waves of remorse from the Alpha only intensified._

_"I shouldn't." Yuuri said softly. "I really shouldn't."_

_Yurio's breath hitched in his throat._

_"But you came back to help me, although you had no obligation to do so."_

_Yuuri closed his eyes._

_"Even though you knew that I would probably never forgive you, knowing that you did it voluntarily."_

_Yuuri paused._

_"You could've have left me thinking that you were blackmailed, keeping your name clean. Yet you bothered to explain it to me, knowing that I will only hate you more after knowing the truth." The Omega's frown softened. "Why?"_

_Yurio stayed silent. A rhetorical question._

_"Because you cared," Yuuri said softly. "Your conscience wouldn't let you, even if it meant throwing away your image."_

_He looked at Yurio for a long moment. "Though you are right, and I probably should have never given you a chance."_

_The Alpha winced, and Yuuri drew in a shuddering breath._

_"But I'm glad I did," the Omega continued. He offered the Alpha a small smile. "Because now I know what you aren't capable of doing."_

_Yurio looked like he had been slapped._

_"I may never forgive you for what you've done. But I'm willing to try to pick up the pieces."_

_The Alpha blinked, utterly stupefied. "Are... are you stupid? You are kidding, aren't you?"_

_Both stared each other down for a good minute._

_"...you're not." Yurio muttered. "You're serious."_

_"I would like to believe that whatever we went through before this held some meaning." Yuuri said with a tired smile. “Wouldn’t you agree?”_

_Yurio averted his gaze. "You... you really are an idiot."_

_A small, broken laugh._

_"Go, shower." The Alpha said, and the gentleness of his tone took them both by surprise. "I'll redress your wound again after you're done."_

Yurio bit his lip, oblivious to the droplet of blood that rolled down his chin.

_"I... can't do this alone."_

But Yuuri could. The Alpha knew he could.

A sudden rush of warmth. He covered his face with a hand, glancing at the sleeping Omega once more. 

_‘I know that, but I’m glad that you insisted I stay.’_

* * *

When the Betas arrived, they came without any prior warning. 

Leo threw himself onto Yurio the moment the door was unlocked, and the blond fell to the floor in a string of colourful curses. 

"What the fuck-"

Yuuri watched on with wide eyes, and the two Betas stormed into the small apartment with an exigency that took him by surprise.

"Get the fuck off me." Yurio snarled, though it lacked any real animosity. "I didn't do anything to him."

A flurry of brown and black, and Yuuri was almost knocked off the balls of his feet when someone hurled themselves at him. 

Hands clutched at his arms too tightly, keeping him steady as they regained his balance. Yuuri recognised their scent even before he could identify them with his own eyes. 

“Yuuri.”

_“It’s not your fault.”_

Phichit looked up to meet his gaze, warm obsidian orbs that struck a chord of familiarity within him. 

_“It was my own decision.”_

None of these thoughts took form. 

“You were right.” 

The Beta gaped at him. Yuuri flinched when his face coloured in anger.

“Do you really think I want to hear that right now?” Phichit said, voice hushed in the sudden silence. “Is that the first thought you had?”

Yuuri spluttered. “I-”

"I don’t care about that, Yuuri.” 

The Beta’s gaze wandered to his neck after a beat, eyeing the gauze pads covering his wound.

"I should have been there. We should have gone with you." Phichit said softly. "Why didn't you call us? Why didn't you call _me_?"

Yuuri looked away then, breaking their gaze.

Phichit stared at him intently, and his expression gradually melted into one of horror.

"It can't be. You took my words seriously?" Phichit whispered. "I just said that in the heat of the moment, and oh god- Yuuri, you took that to heart?"

He didn't know how to answer him. He opened his mouth, closing it after a second. 

Phichit looked utterly crestfallen. 

"I... oh god..." The Beta stammered. "Shit, I shouldn't have said that, I was joking, really-"

"It didn't seem like you were," Yuuri said quietly.

His friend deflated visibly. "I... I-"

Phichit looked shaken. Regret and shock was etched into his features, and Yuuri felt a pang of guilt.

"But I'm fine," he said. "Really, I'm fine-"

"No, you aren't." The Beta snapped, and his eyes watered. "You've never been fine, even from the moment we met."

Yuuri closed his mouth with a stammer. 

"You keep so much to yourself. You take it all upon yourself to do what is right, and it's taking a toll on you. I can see you breaking down, Yuuri."

The room grew quiet.

"It's killing you softly." Phichit continued, stressing his words. "Do you know how you looked back in Mxdonalds that day? Or when I brought you back to the dorms?"

Yuuri stiffened.

"You looked sad," The Beta said. "You looked so exhausted, and everyone could see that."

The Omega tried to add in his own two cents, but the Beta silenced him with a look.

"You know, Yuuri." The sides of his eyes crinkled. "There's nothing embarrassing about a natural emotion like that."

His arms were still flaccid, hanging awkwardly by his sides. Phichit wrapped his arms around him in a tight hug.

"Talk to us, Yuuri. Talk to us. It may take some time, but I hope you'll trust us enough eventually."

His eyes were dry. He felt like he had used up all his tears, and now that he had, he felt almost empty. Tired, but not physically so. 

_You shouldn't be embarrassed to let it out._

His eyes were dry. 

_You shouldn't be embarrassed to tell us how you actually feel._

That didn't stop him, however.

Phichit held him all the more tightly as Yuuri reached up to claw at his back. Now that he allowed the first tear to fall, the torrent wouldn't cease, and soon the apartment was filled with nothing but his broken cries.

"Oh god, Yuuri." He heard Leo mutter, and Yurio went quiet.

Phichit rubbed circles into his back, and he gritted his teeth, letting sobs wreck his form.

"I'm so t-tired." Yuuri bit out through his tears, clenching his eyes shut. "I'm so tired, but I need to keep going. I c-can't stop fighting."

Phichit and Leo shared a look. An unvoiced agreement, and both turned to the Omega trembling in his arms.

"It's okay to take a break sometimes," The Beta said gently. "It's okay. Stop being so hard on yourself, and give yourself time."

"Time for what?" Yuuri gritted out. "People I know are suffering under the legislation, and I need to help them-"

"Time to rest. Time to recuperate, time to reconcile your plans." Leo chipped in, regarding him warmly. "Don't rush into things. We will help you achieve that aim."

"You are not alone." Phichit reminded firmly. "We can do this together."

Yuuri hiccupped, wiping at his eyes with his hands. "I know. I know, now."

"Then won't you let us help you, Yuuri?"

A lengthy silence. All eyes were on him. Gazes filled with warmth, concern, and support.

He broke into a watery smile. 

Phichit pulled away after that, face flushed with emotion. "Good."

Yuuri sniffed, looking to the two Betas in confusion. "Wait... how did you know I was here?"

Yurio snorted from the floor. "They were blowing up your phone, piggy. So I answered their calls on your behalf."

Phichit nodded, casting the Alpha a dubious glance. "I don't really trust him still, but he rescued you, after all."

"Emil gave us a heads up earlier, but we were convinced that you would be alright, still." Leo said with a grimace. "He told us that he met you, said you were throwing yourself into a hellhole."

Yuuri winced as he recalled his encounter with the Beta back in the bar. 

"We placated him because we trusted your judgement," Leo continued. "But we got worried when he reported to us that he saw Mila and some other Alphas enter the brothel."

Mila. She had tried to stop Victor.

"She tried to stop him." Yuuri said suddenly, as clarity returned to him. "They all tried to."

"Who-" Leo began, but his voice was drowned out by a loud snarl from the blond beneath him.

"That fucker," Yurio hissed. "Despite all that, he still couldn't control himself. He's brainless."

The Betas were watching the exchange with bathed breath. Yuuri hesitated.

"Who did this to you?" Phichit said, breaking the quiet. "Did the Alphas in our college lure you there just to hurt you?"

Yurio was watching him carefully.

Yuuri fidgeted with his sleeves. "They did nothing of that sort."

"Then why were they there?" The Betas chimed in unison. 

"Emil probably saw wrong," Yuuri said dismissively, sliding his gaze away from the Alpha. "I didn't see them in the brothel."

Leo eased himself off the blond with a bemused frown, and Phichit eyed Yuuri suspiciously.

"You shouldn't have any reason to lie," Phichit mused. "So why?"

The Beta never failed to see right through him. 

Yuuri's jaw went slack. The Beta stared at him, and he finally met his gaze with a defeated one.

_Not now._

Phichit could almost read his thoughts, just by analysing the shifts in his expression.

_Trust me._

The Beta scoffed. "I doubt I'll be able to trust you with making decisions for a long time to come."

He gave Yuuri another frown, releasing a sigh. "But trust starts from somewhere, so I'll let this slide for now."

Phichit had always been the most discerning one of the lot.

His shoulders sagged with relief, but the Beta wasn't going to let him off the hook yet.

"Let me see the mark."

* * *

They headed to the bathroom after that.

"I'm fine-"

"You're hurt, Yuuri!" Phichit cut him off, frowning deeply. "You got marked by an Alpha against your consent, and you tell me that you're fine?"

The Beta removed the gauze carefully, making a noise of disgust. 

"Did you really dress this yourself?"

Yuuri shook his head, and his friend sighed heavily. He couldn't help but notice that the cotton gauze was still matted with blood, and the sight of it made him light-headed.

Phichit gave another disgruntled cry, recoiling as he threw the soiled pads in the sink. 

"God- which Alpha marked you? Their scent is awfully strong!"

That's right, he wouldn't be able to tell apart Victor's scent from his own for a week. 

Yurio had cleverly used scent-concealing gauze pads to bandage his wound- partially because he couldn't stand the smell of the offending silver-haired Alpha- and the other half was due to how overpowering it was.

Just Victor's scent alone made the blond's eyes flash in thinly veiled hate- and according to Yurio- the stench would cling to the linen and furniture for days.

It would take about a week for the bond to be fully established, and for his body to recognise and acknowledge his partner. Only then would his heat hit him again, in full force.

"I can't smell it," Yuuri said forlornly, narrowing his eyes at the memory. "His scent will overpower my own until the mark disappears."

The wound looked as fresh as ever, and from his reflection he could clearly see the teeth marks marring his flesh. There were two particularly deep punctures situated just beneath his left ear, no doubt made by the Alpha's canine teeth.

The pain had dissipated, and touching the area only gave an odd, tingling sensation. Unlike an inflicted injury on any other part of the body, a bite mark from a potential mate released certain chemicals in the brain, alleviating the pain. 

But this process only set in after a few hours, and while he felt nothing but numbness now, the agony was near-crippling before.

Phichit shivered. "I've never come across an Alpha's scent which is so pervasive. It's going to scare everyone away, Yuuri."

Yuuri wilted. "...what?"

"I almost thought you were an Alpha for a second," Phichit said. "Seriously Yuuri, what did he do? Suck on the mark till his pheromones sunk in?"

"What? No!" Yuuri shouted in a whisper. "He only bit me really hard."

The Beta scrunched up his nose, and Yuuri felt a surge of relief. His friend didn't recognise Victor's scent.

"Well it sure looks like it," he replied. "That's one hell of a messy bite. I mean, just look at it! He could've torn out your gullet!"

"You're exaggerating," Yuuri muttered, tilting his head to get a clearer view of the mark. 

He could see why his friend was horrified.

Instead of marking him solely on the side of his neck, the bite extended to the tender flesh just beneath his jaw, missing his Adam's apple by just a mere two centimetres.

Phichit groaned in exasperation. "Who is this Alpha? Such an awful bite, yet he managed to pierce your scent glands so accurately?"

Something clicked in his head.

"We were probably compatible," Yuuri whispered.

If Victor had not mentioned it, the thought of being highly compatible mates would have never occurred to him. 

The Beta snorted, however. "I doubt so. A shitty Alpha like that? You deserve far better."

Phichit bent over, fetching some supplies from the cabinet once he was done digging through them. "There, stay still. I'll redress the wound."

He finished the job quickly, and as Yuuri tried to touch it again Phichit slapped away his wandering hands.

"Don't you dare touch it," the Beta warned. "It's amazing how we know more about treating bite wounds than the ones who are doing the actual damage."

A frustrated growl reverberated through the apartment, and a genuine smile crept onto his lips.

"You should smile like that more." 

The familiarity of the sentence rattled him.

Phichit offered a smile. "We'll make sure of it, yeah?"

Yuuri blinked once, then twice. His smile dissolved, and he regarded his friend almost fondly.

"Thank you... Phichit."

The Beta tilted his head. "What did I tell you, Yuuri?"

Yuuri blinked in confusion, and his friend rolled his eyes affably. "Things will get better. It can only get better from here on out, alright?" 

The Beta winked at him, and the mood lifted immediately. Yuuri cracked another smile. 

"Yes."

* * *

1st (Official, Government Owned) Source

** Watch: Police raid suspected brothel in Kabukicho **

**By Boyang Jin, BBV**  
Updated 0710 JST May 18, ****

This is the moment police raided a suspected brothel in Kabukicho.

Police swooped last night after receiving intelligence of a brothel being run from the address.

Officers executed the warrant after they received information suggesting it was being used by traffickers to work in the sex industry.

Alphas aged 35 to 50 – consisting of foreign nationals – were arrested from the property and are being held in police custody for questioning on suspicion of slavery offences.

Investigating officer, Detective Inspector Lilia Baranovskaya, said: “The warrant was executed on the back of police intelligence suggesting several missing children were located in the sex industry."

The police were tipped off anonymously last Tuesday and launched investigations at once.

The detective added: "We’ve identified several of the children on adult websites with links to an address in Kabukicho we suspect are being used as illegal brothels and where hormone injections are being used."

The raid was supported by the National Crime Agency and charity organisation Beyond The Rink on 16 May.

Massive quantities of pills were found in the brothel and were suspected to have been used to drug the prostitutes.

"I'm glad that we managed to crack this case." The Detective Inspector Lilia Baranovskaya said. "The government has been tirelessly fighting the drug war for years now."

The arrested men have been remanded into custody and are next due to appear at Tokyo High Court on June 2.

“If anyone suspects people are being exploited in their community, or has concerns an address is being used to house people who’ve been trafficked into the country, I’d urge them to call us so we can take action.”

Tokyo police can be contacted on the 101 number, or information can be passed to the independent charity Beyond the Rink anonymously on 0115516677.

* * *

The newspaper was thrown to him in the wee hours of the morning. 

Yuuri peeled it away from his face with a groan, rubbing at his irritated eyes. The futon was warm, and he was slightly irked by the rude awakening. 

He had forgotten to remove his contacts for two whole days after the entire ordeal last week, and as a result, he was still suffering from its after-effects.

Following a quick check and a severe reprimanding from his local doctor, he found out that his degree had increased. Which certainly did not improve his mood.

"I was fucking right. The government wouldn't reveal what is more than necessary."

"We." Yuuri corrected, switching his attention to the newspaper in his hands. "It was worth a try, anyway."

He had moved out of the dorms just two days after the incident.

It was better for him, and his family had been absolutely horrified when they came to know of his mark. But he refused to reveal anything, dismissing it as a voluntary marking during his heat.

Predictably, his sister didn't buy any of it.

_"You're still so easy to read." Mari hissed with a firm scowl. "Now fess up, who did it?"_

_The lies that he had rehearsed over and over died on his tongue at the heartbroken look in her eyes. Pieces of the truth wrenched itself from his throat, bit by bit, until his sister was holding him in her arms._

_It reminded him of his younger days, it really did._

_"You're so stupid," his sister bit out. "You're just as rash as before, but now that you're older the consequences are heavier, Yuuri."_

_Her voice was shaking. "Nothing I say can deter you from going down this dangerous road. I know that, but I still don't want you to be hurt."_

_Yuuri rested his forehead against her shoulder, returning her tight embrace._

_He inhaled sharply. "I... I'm sorry."_

_They both knew what he meant._

_Mari massaged her temples with a sigh. "Just promise me you'll take care of yourself. Please."_

_Yuuri smiled grimly. "I will," he replied. "And I have others who I can trust to do so, as well."_

_His sister laughed lightly, humourlessly. "I suppose you are learning, after all."_

_Then she turned serious, giving him a knowing look. "Treasure them, Yuuri."_

His face softened as he appraised the blond standing in the middle of their shared room.

Yurio had his arms crossed across his chest, and his ashen hair glowed in the warm rays streaming through the window.

A week before, he had decided to move into Yurio's apartment.

It was a snappy decision on his part, but it was one that his gut agreed with.

The blond hardly put up any resistance when he had suggested it, adopting a flippant attitude that was amusing now, in hindsight. 

Just two days shy of moving in with the Alpha, any doubts he had regarding his choice was quelled. 

Yurio became livelier. 

He was still as barbed-tongued as ever, and never failed to tease and poke fun at him at any opportunity. Though the air between them had changed, laced with a comfortable familiarity that stemmed from mutual understanding.

Yurio had been lonely. 

And Yuuri soon came to realise that, came to realise that the Alpha was very different from how he came off to others.

Appearances could be deceiving, after all. 

Yurio moved to sit beside him, spreading open the newspaper with a flourish. "Look, those bastards didn't even mention the hormone pills."

Yuuri blinked at the headlines blearily, reaching for his glasses on the nightstand. 

The day right after the brothel incident, Yurio had helped to retrieve the videos from his phone, which held crucial evidence of sexual slavery in the brothel. 

After a fair bit of research, the blond had managed to procure more proof of the fuckery that went on beneath the streets of Japan and under the vigilant eyes of the locals.

Names and pictures of missing children from filed missing person reports matched with the databases of prostitutes on illicit websites. 

They had sent the tapes and IP addresses of the corresponding websites to the police anonymously, and it was an experiment, a gamble to see how far the government was willing to go to censor the information.

The results were intriguing, to say the least.

* * *

2nd (Tabloids) Source

** Secret tape ignites rage over Government ‘betrayal’ **

**By Christian Martinez, JJN**  
Updated 1800 JST May 23, ****

Local citizens have expressed their rage over the tapes released on the Internet last Tuesday.

The planning campaign manager at the independent charity Beyond the Rink said: “We need to see more evidence from Government that they are determined to back up their pledge to crackdown on sex trafficking in Japan."

Private investigations revealed that the 5 Alphas shot in the raid were Russian nationals and locals - the brothel owner and his respective business partners - who were all present that day.

During the raid, the police stormed the brothel - Stammi Vicino - looking for victims, so they could "take them to safety." But this meant arresting the prostitutes and putting them in detention centers.

Most of the victims consisted of Betas who had been kidnapped from their families or sold to the lucrative business by their guardians.

Stuck in detention centers, the victims had no plausible way to let their voices be heard.

The public is not aware of many things. The drug used was postulated by some to be hormone pills, most commonly used in hormone replacement therapies for transecgendered individuals.

These drugs - Ometoxin and Alpatoxin - were made illegal 2 years back. A national ban on the products was imposed, save for government owned clinics that allegedly have a supply for emergency cases.

* * *

As expected, the government-owned news agencies censored the deaths of the Alphas. The matter of hormone pills was not brought up at all. 

What made it worse was the fact that privately owned newspapers were telling a completely different story. 

The actual truth was uncovered and displayed in these papers. They had contacted a private organisation, and the head Beta was more than willing to collaborate with them.

Left-wing companies all knew of his name, and they could always cover up their tracks with the excuse that the information was sent in anonymously.

_"You're famous." Yurio had smirked, when they had sealed the deal with the organisation. "Thanks to my efforts back then."_

_Yuuri had flushed in response. "Shush."_

* * *

3rd (Privately owned companies) Source

** Killing and Lies: Prime Minister Vincent's ‘War on Drugs’ Exposed **

On May 15, four armed men dressed in black and wearing face masks burst into the brothel, allegedly killing the 5 main culprits of the drug scandal.

The armed men drove away unimpeded through a nearby police checkpoint after that.

These "unidentified gunmen" were sent by the government as part of the Anti-Drug Campaign. Official reports brushed it off as a coincidence - to have occurred just the day before the raid - and no killings happened on that day.

On May 16, despite official newspapers stating that the 5 Alphas were arrested, it is revealed by the officers that they were in fact shot dead on the scene. A contradiction to the statement made in official articles.

The agency simply stated that the men had drawn a gun on the police during the raid and died in an “exchange of gunfire.”

The slew of misleading information from the sources did not go unnoticed by the public. Reports and eyewitnesses' claims did not match up, and the affected families were quick to point fingers at the government.

It is highly likely that the men were killed the day before the raid to prevent them from leaking any confidential information.

But what kind of confidential information could the government be so concerned about, if it wasn't material that could harm their reputation?

* * *

There were 3 layers that were being examined here.

Official newspapers, tabloids, and privately owned left-wing newspaper companies.

The Alphas were killed on May 15, the day before the raid. But the official newspapers hid the sordid truth, even going as far as to lie about the arrests of the 5 Alphas who were clearly shot dead before they could rat the government out.

In the second source, due to the myriad of questions posed by eye-witnesses, the police had revealed that they were shot dead on the scene. For resisting arrest, and nothing else. A contradiction to the first source.

The third source revealed the truth. The Alphas were shot the day before, and certainly not on the scene. Why? To prevent them from leaking information against the government. 

The moment the owners of the brothel knew that the police raid would take place, they knew that the government had turned their back on them. 

Vincent was smart. He didn't take any chances, and simply disposed of the owners before they could betray them. 

The two of them were hard at work the entire week leading up to the publication of the news. 

Yurio had been a great help, and he never got tired of watching the Alpha as he worked. 

His hacking skills were amazing, and Yurio had attributed it to his exposure to complex IT systems when he was younger.

He had close ties with the government due to his father's connections, and was scouted for his talents when he was just eight years old.

The blond quickly became fascinated with coding and the programming, and his mental flexibility and smarts enabled him to excel far in the field. 

So deeply passionate he was, that he was to take a job in the office of information security systems once he graduated college.

Years passed in innocent, carefree bliss. 

Things changed quickly.

The thing was, as Yurio recounted, the day was as ordinary as any other. There were no subtle signs, absolutely no warning for the ill events to come.

He wondered, briefly, if that was the reason why the news had struck him particularly hard.

His parents were killed in a car crash. Both of them- neither of them spared- in a freak accident that evening. The Lord didn't show a single ounce of mercy towards him, on the day he turned eleven.

It almost seemed like some sort of cruel joke. A page taken out of a drama skit, the backstory of an ill-fated protagonist in a novel.

What a tragedy, they would say. What an unfortunate, harrowing coincidence. 

Pitiful stares, sympathetic glances. They eroded him, ate away at his soul like a slow-acting acid. 

But this was real. And hearing his own story from his mouth didn't make it any easier, even if it was the first time he had poured his heart out to somebody else.

Yuuri had cried for him, being the sensitive, soft-hearted person Yurio knew he was. 

This time, he couldn't muster the energy to feel even the slightest bit annoyed when the Omega clung to him in a weeping mess of condolences.

"You must have been very lonely." Yuuri had said between gasps for air, and Yurio felt his muscles tense in response. 

Something twisted within him, a tight knot in his chest coming undone. His arms fell to his sides.

"I... was." 

Yuuri didn't even twitch at his admittance. 

An odd sense of liberation overcame him, a lightness that danced in his bones and soothed his frayed nerves.

"Yurio, you're smil-"

Some things never did change.

"Shut up, piggy."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Chapter: The actual timeskip+more backstories.
> 
> The flashbacks from this chapter came from Yuuri&Yurio's play-fight in Chapter 5, and Phichit&Yuuri's pinky-promise in Chapter 7.
> 
> Feel free to come scream at my [sideblog](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/chibifoxx-fic). 
> 
> If anyone is interested, I feel that this [song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2j9VVW_mYQk) fits Yuuri very well, especially after Chapter 11. ^-^
> 
> A small note:  
> The chapters of the next 2 arcs may require a longer time to write and edit because of the immense amount of research I have to do. Gomen for that.


	13. The Duality of Man

"She left you because she was weak."

Victor remembered slapping his hands to his ears, shaking his head in fervent denial.

"No!" He shrieked, "you don't know her!"

His father only looked sadder.

"She couldn't handle the pressure of raising you," he continued to say, holding out a hand for him to take. "It was bound to happen."

He refused to believe him. He refused to believe any of it. 

"No, you're lying!" He spat malevolently, with tears brimming in his eyes. "You chased us away! You were the one who made her upset!"

The hand before him trembled. 

He glared at him acridly, with all of his might. "I won't leave. She'll come back!"

His father withdrew his arm with a soft sigh.

"It's been six months, Viktor."

The refusals lodged in his throat, firm and stubborn, and he could only glare at his father wordlessly.

A soundless sob, and a tear cascaded down his cheek too fast.

"I-I know she will come back."

He looked down at his hands, blurry patches in his clouded vision. 

"...she'll come back."

Arms wrapped around him, pulling him into an embrace. But this one was different, and it lacked the warmth he dearly missed.

"You've waited long enough."

A small frown, and his father pushed his fringe out of his eyes. "Your hair has grown long."

Victor shook his head, shutting his eyes tightly. "...she'll come back..."

"I missed you, Viktor. Won't you come home?"

He reached for the doorknob but his hands were shaking too much, and he couldn't quite muster the energy to swing it shut.

Victor sniffed. "L-leave."

A look of confusion crossed his father's features. "...what?"

"Mom wouldn't have wanted me to return with you."

A flash of something akin to anger. It's been years, but he remembered the look all too well.

His wrist was grabbed, and he squealed as his father dragged him out of the house forcibly. Bony fingers tightened bruisingly around his wrist as he tried to writhe free.

"No! I don't want to go back!" 

His father lifted him off the ground. The Alpha threw him over his shoulders, carrying him to the car parked in front of the yard.

"Let me go!" He screamed, thumping his fists against his back feebly. "I-I don't want to leave!"

His father growled warningly, but it did little to deter his struggles. "Let me go!"

His father turned away from the car tersely with a sudden pivot on his heel, cutting off his cries.

They began walking in an arbitrary direction, and as trees swallowed his peripheral vision he knew that they had entered the forest. 

The chill stung his bones, sinking their frosty fangs into his skin mercilessly. He wasn't dressed for the cold, and he found himself snuggling into the scarf around his father's neck for warmth.

They continued like that for minutes. Soon he went limp against him, and he couldn't hear anything above the chattering of his teeth.

After what seemed like an eternity, his father stopped.

He was thrown onto the ground uncaringly, coughing out a mouthful of snow and evergreen. By the time he looked up dazedly, his father already had his back turned on him. 

He remembered his throat constricting painfully, reaching out at his retreating figure but never quite managing to catch up with the frostbite around his ankles.

"No!" Victor cried, but his voice was drowned out by the howling wind. He let his hands fall back into the snow, indifferent to the numbness eating at his fingertips.

"Come back!"

His father didn't even pause. The tears wouldn't fall, freezing against his cheeks before they could hit the soft earth.

"D-dad!"

His vision grew blurry. 

"Dad-" His voice cracked, and it trailed off into a broken whimper. "-please."

His father was no longer in sight.

He was shivering uncontrollably, and he lowered his head as he curled in on himself. "Please."

His legs had gone stiff from the cold. His lips trembled involuntarily, and he surveyed the strange surroundings as he shook with fear.

He clenched his eyes shut when he heard a distant howl, panic seizing his heart in a vice grip.

Wolves. His mind raced back to old memories.

"P-please."

The crunching of snow, slow and deliberate. He approached, looking down at him with an indecipherable expression.

He came back.

His eyes fluttered open, and he grasped onto his father's pants too tightly. But those blue eyes only watched him coldly, and he made no move to help him up. 

His bottom lip trembled. "D-dad."

Not even a twitch of emotion. 

"I'm sorry."

His father closed his eyes, and panic flared in his young heart. He trembled, and broken pleas left his lips against his will. 

"I'm sorry, please-" The tears were warm against his skin. "I-I'm sorry!"

A pause, and the moment was filled with nothing but his haggard breaths.

Then he was enveloped in warmth. He whimpered at the touch, gripping onto his father's coat lapels like a lifeline.

"Do you understand, now?"

He couldn't remember anything aside from the way his sobs sounded. Pitiful, helpless cries that burrowed deep into his wounded heart. 

"Let's go home."

But he could distinctly remember nodding against his shoulder too quickly and desperately, with his pride trodden to dust.

* * *

It has been a year ever since. 

"But I want to wear it."

His father pinned him with a malicious glare. "You don't need to wear scent concealers, Viktor."

He had been young then. Still too rebellious, too immature to understand how the world worked. "I don't want to be an Alpha. I want to mix with everyone!"

His father eyed him critically, appearing to ruminate for a few moments. 

"Alright," he conceded, suddenly emotionless. "Go ahead, do what you want."

His glare only intensified, and his father looked almost smug. 

"Go ahead, Viktor."

* * *

He has never felt so ashamed in his life.

"You're useless!" A boy laughed at him, rolling up his sleeves in a show of power. "What are you? An Omega or a Beta?"

He held his aching side between pained gasps for air, glaring up at the small circle of Alphas venomously. 

The second boy snorted, delivering another well-aimed kick to his side. "He's obviously an Omega, just look at his disgusting hair."

He snarled then, throwing himself onto the second boy that spoke. They went down in a flurry of angry clicks and hisses, and the other bullies tugged at his hair, pulling him off the shocked Alpha.

"Shut up!" Victor growled through the cuts on the inside of his cheek and the boy beneath him recoiled, if only a little. "You shut up about my hair-"

A fist buried itself into his gut and he choked, cutting himself off as he was sent sprawling to the side. 

The three other Alphas surrounded him again, wearing sardonic smirks.

"Aww, is he angry because we insulted his hair?"

"He is!"

The boys crowed with impetuous laughter. He gritted his teeth, watching as the boys snickered at his expense. "Who cares? He's nothing but a lowly Omega anyway."

He won't tell them. He wanted to prove a point to his father.

Hands grabbed at his hair cruelly, yanking at the strands with too much force. He cried out involuntarily, holding back the tears that pricked at his eyes. 

"Tch, weirdo."

"My mom said that only the poor have natural white hair."

"Hah, that explains why he's so weak."

He couldn't fight back. He didn't want to fight back, didn't want to resort to violence to resolve conflicts. He didn't want to use his natural strength as a leverage to bully and belittle others.

"Leave me alone." He hissed. "What will you gain out of doing this?"

If anything, the Alphas looked even more peeved.

"How dare he talk back to us!" 

"Shut up, you freak!"

Another kick nailed him squarely in the jaw and he winced, sliding against the rough paving with a groan. 

The sharp pebbles sliced his cheek, reopening old wounds on his kneecaps and littering his skin with fresh scratches.

"You won't need such a pretty face anyway."

A searing pain shot through his skull as he tried to lift his head off the ground, and he cried out sharply.

The boy leered at him, grinding the toe of his shoe into his silvery hair. "Leaving long hair like this, how girly. You like it don't you, Omega?" 

He liked his hair the way it was. Nothing his father nor what these Alphas said will ever change his mind. 

"Of course he does. Pathetic bitch."

He wouldn't give in. 

"Why don't we cut your hair for you?"

A shot of cold fear, and his eyes widened. The Alphas grinned at him toothily. Victor wrenched his hair free after a moment of thought, biting his lip to contain his voice. His scalp burned painfully, and he watched as a few broken strands drifted to the ground. 

"Woah! Catch him!" 

Seeing an opening, he picked himself off the ground and ran out of the alleyway. His knees quivered beneath him, muddied and bloody, but that didn't stop him from running the rest of the way down the street.

"Hey!"

"He's just a coward."

The rain came down in sheets, and the heavens opened to unleash an abrupt shower that soaked him to his bones.

He could hear the pattering of feet from behind him, and he regretted his choice of venturing outside to mingle with the kids of the neighbourhood. 

All he did was to shout at them for teasing a helpless Omega. But the very moment they laid their eyes on him, they forgot about the frightened girl entirely.

"You're asking for it, Omega!"

He was homeschooled for years. His father hadn't allowed him into the public eye, and he spent most of his days locked at home. Satisfied and content, but too curious about the world.

_"You should wear your secondary gender proudly. Flaunt it at any opportunity."_

He didn't understand why. What was the difference between them? They were all the same at the end of the day. Flesh, blood, and bones.

_"Cut your hair. You look too much like an Omega."_

_"Why is he so slender? Are you sure he's an Alpha?"_

He understood why, now.

His feet slipped on a particularly wet slab of concrete and he fell to the ground harshly, with nothing to cushion his fall. 

It hurt. The wounds stung but their gazes hurt even more, spearing him like daggers. 

"I told you he wouldn't be able to run far!"

He should have known. He should have known _better_.

* * *

He returned home as quiet as a mouse. The full-length mirror across the hall showed him the image of a sodden child, not quite a boy or a girl, not quite any secondary gender. 

His hair hung in choppy strands, no longer framing his face the way it used to. A pathetic sight. For the first time in his life, he felt a strange vehemence towards the boy in the mirror, a splitting image of himself.

He sniffed and wiped at his puffy eyes roughly, smearing the blood from his cuts onto his cheeks. Quite the sight, he had to be. His skin was cold to touch, taking on an alabaster pallor in the harsh lighting of the three-room apartment he called home.

His caretaker was absent that day. Instead, his father was waiting for his arrival in her place. It didn’t even strike him then, how coincidental everything seemed to be.

His father didn't look surprised in the least. "Do you understand, now?"

The familiarity of the sentence hit him hard. Tears sprang to his eyes against his will, and his cheeks trembled.

"Omegas are nothing to us," his father said darkly. "Do you understand your place in the world now?"

A rush of emotion. Embarrassment, perhaps. It felt worse than that.

"We are superior because we contribute to society the most. Omegas and Betas exist to complement us."

It was unbearable to stand there before his father, feeling even smaller than ever. 

“They deceive us with lies, insubstantial claims that breed unwarranted confidence in them.”

"They make promises that they will eventually break, all because they lack the resolve to follow through with anything.” 

"Promises you were foolish enough to believe."

This time, he _listened_. 

“They are weak, just like your mother.”

He couldn’t remember the exact moment when the line between truths and facts blurred. But he knew that the emotion he felt that day was seared into his memory, latching its unforgiving claws into his young heart. 

Humiliation. 

“I... understand.” 

He masked his hurt with prudish arrogance, turning his sadness into newfound strength.

The weak will be crushed in this world, and it was his job to lead those who were blind to this knowledge. 

Victor clutched at his tattered clothes, hiding his face behind what was left of his hair. Unlike before, he had no compunction in voicing the thoughts in his head. “I was foolish.”

His father smiled with his eyes. 

“I was foolish.”

* * *

His gaze softened. "Alright, Yuuri. I'll tell you what I want."

The Omega glared at him, but this time the Alpha couldn't find it in him to return it.

Victor smiled at him. 

"I want to spend your heat with you."

* * *

_He wasn't any different from the rest._

* * *

"Yuuri."

He held the door open for the Omega. A common act of courtesy, one that had won over many hearts.

Yuuri nodded at him appreciatively, and the Alpha followed him out after he exited. 

Both of them left the lab a tad too late, and the moon was already high in the sky by the time the attendant had the mind to chase them out. 

Yuuri leaned against the metal railings, his stare enraptured by the stars that glittered in the sky like a bed of brilliant gems. 

Omegas were all like that, he supposed. Oddly sentimental and weak-willed, despite claiming to be everything but. 

"Let's go." Victor said, and Yuuri turned those eyes- still shining in wonder- right at him. 

And Victor couldn't tear his eyes away.

For Yuuri had looked so vulnerable then, wearing his heart clear on his sleeve and riding high on his success, that it almost hurt. 

It almost hurt to look at him.

"What are you thinking about?" 

The question slipped off his tongue like an eel, a thoughtless notion that he would have never dreamt of asking had he not been as tired as he was.

Yuuri hummed lightly and turned to face him with a warm chocolate gaze.

"About how I doubted you." He replied. "I shouldn't have been so guarded, in hindsight. But you shouldn't have come on so strong with your intentions, either."

He blinked. 

"What I'm meaning to say is... thank you."

The Omega before him smiled at him warmly. 

"Thank you for restoring my blog." Yuuri repeated, cheeks tinted a rosy pink. "My friend lost the backup data and really, I couldn't have done it without you."

The Alpha studied him with a hooded stare. The Omega blinked at him. Watching, waiting.

Victor closed his eyes, directing his gaze away from him after a long moment. 

"It's alright." He replied, and the words fell from his lips easily, like toxic waste. "I'll always support you."

A playful chuckle. "You're actually a pretty nice person." 

He raised a brow. "Oh?"

Yuuri beamed. "You're just bad at conveying your emotions."

Yuuri paused in his steps, tilting his head at him. Victor flinched back, suddenly mindful of the distance between them.

"I thought you had it out for me before." Yuuri chuckled. "But it turns out that I read you wrong."

From their close proximity, he could tell that the Omega was indeed as unguarded as he had thought.

Yuuri's eyes flickered with something akin to nostalgia, as if he had been reminded of an old memory that was so achingly familiar. "I shouldn't have been so hesitant to give you a chance."

"It's alright." Victor said, flashing him a charismatic smile. "I'm glad that you understand my intentions now."

Yuuri nodded at him amiably, and he watched on somberly as the Omega quickened his steps to keep pace with him. 

Yuuri grew quiet after that, and the corridor echoed back their silent footsteps. 

The Omega became uncharacteristically loose-lipped when he was tired, he noted. Drunk on fatigue and relief, Yuuri had inadvertently shown him a side of him that he had never thought to expect.

"It's rare to find an Omega like you." Victor kept his expression carefully neutral, offering a gentle smile when he caught his wandering eyes. 

Yuuri stuttered, casting his gaze to the floor. 

Yuuri was getting more easy to read. His eyes had always been the most revealing of the lot, a window to his soul that was open for all to see.

Victor closed his eyes, breathing in deeply. 

“Why?”

Yuuri looked up from his phone in mild surprise. Before he could ask for a clarification, however, Victor beat him to the punch. “Why are you doing this?”

Yuuri paused, confusion marring his features. “Doing what?”

"Trying to pursue a cause so pointless." Victor was staring intently at the floor, face partially concealed by his silver hair. "It's all useless in the end."

The last part was spoken so softly that anyone would've missed it, had they not been hanging on to every word.

"...what?"

He hesitated then. “Nevermind, forget I said anything.”

But Yuuri was looking at him curiously, and his eyebrows knitted together in thought. "...because I want to help those less fortunate than myself."

His footsteps faltered.

"I know that I'm fortunate to be exempted from the Act," Yuuri mused. He turned away after a moment, pursing his lips. "I just want to help those who have been suffering under it."

"The abused, the sexually harassed, the depressed." The Omega continued, counting the items off his fingers. "I want to change things."

_I'm sure you'll find him different from the rest._

"Slowly, I'll get there." Yuuri said, frowning deeply. "I'll review and abolish this Act once and for all."

They walked in silence the rest of the way back.

* * *

_Perhaps there was more to him than meets the eye._

* * *

"So will you accept the deal, Yuuri?"

The Omega glared in defiance, but that did little to conceal the raw hurt and disbelief that shone through his eyes.

* * *

_All till the very end, he stayed strong._

* * *

Yuuri had elicited a reaction out of him that he could have never foreseen.

"It would have been fine if you just disagreed with my views."

Tears fell freely, like water from a broken dam.

"I-it would have been fine."

He was the epitome of defeat. The Omega that once prided himself for his tenacity and defiance was now utterly broken. At his hands.

"S-so, why? Why must you do this? Why must you deceive me like this?"

But he couldn't understand it. Of all the possibilities, he could have never expected him to react this way.

"You marked me forcefully." Yuuri spat through tears. "And right now, you're going to offer me an ultimatum. I could either choose to sign the custody papers, or you would finish what you started."

Hearing it with his own ears struck him dumb.

The Omega dug his nails into his palms. Blood trickled onto the sheets, so similar yet so different from the stains around his collar.

"Go on, Victor. You already know which choice I'm going to make."

He smiled sadly, with eyes of a condemned man who knew of his fate long before the final verdict.

"I won't resist. I can't resist, anyway."

_I'll never give up my freedom even if it meant that I had to suffer._

His mind slowed to a stop. The Omega before him glared, full of spite and residual defiance. Despite it all, despite everything.

_I'll give myself to you if you would let me go free._

His chest throbbed with a dull ache. 

_Leave before I change my mind._

* * *

Moans reverberated through his room, and Victor clutched the pillows to his ears in a futile attempt to block out the noise.

Gnashing his teeth together in frustration, he rubbed his face into the bed sheets over and over.

He tolerated. Turned a deaf ear and a blind eye to his father's doings until one day, he finally decided that he has had enough. 

So when his father left the house on short notice for an emergency meeting called by the other ministers, he sneaked upstairs quietly.

For most of his younger years, he lived with his father on a private property near the edge of Nipponbashi. 

He wasn't a dense child at heart. He knew that his father had been taking in Omega mates, hoping to conceive another child that could succeed his position. 

But the gods never favoured his father. Chances came and went, and soon he was the only one his father had left.

"Vincent?"

No, it wasn't him.

An Omega stared back at him from the bed, with eyes wide in shock. 

Victor recognised her instantly. And this new knowledge shook him to the core, leaving him feeling dumbfounded beyond belief. 

The Omega swallowed, watching him with eyes of a frightened animal. She didn't say a word, after that.

And as a child Victor had been too stunned to react, frozen like a deer in the headlights.

She was the Omega who had been stirring up much ruckus in the community a few months back. Up till a month ago, she disappeared, and not a single peek was heard from her since.

"We need to get you out of here." He remembered saying, still too stupid and naive to know what her presence here meant.

She simply regarded him blankly, a look of utter defeat written across her once dogged smile.

A look of resignation. 

He realised later then, that she had never been broken by his father. She had simply given up, like all the other Omegas before her. 

"Why?" He remembered saying, confused and debilitated. "Don't you want to leave?"

The Omega had been at loggerheads with his father for the past few months. She had vehemently protested against any schemes formed by his father, gathering a bunch of rowdy Omegas and Betas that believed in her cause. 

She was an inspiration to many young hearts.

Her spirit and zeal was astounding, and shook the people it did. For a period of time, there had been doubt. People dared to stand up against the legislature, and she led a particularly damaging riot against a rape case with an unjust verdict.

But now she lay across his father's sheets like a broken doll, black hair strewn across the exorbitant bedding with not a care in the world.

"Why?" She repeated the question, as if it held the most obvious answer in the world. Her voice croaked, muffled with sadness and a twinge of wonder.

"Why would I?" A smile of relief broke her bemused frown, and her dull features lit up with a brightness that felt wrong.

Hope. She felt hopeful.

"Don't you hate him?" He said, voice bordering on incredulity. "Didn't you hate him?"

The smile on her face did not fade.

"Don't you hate him?" He remembered screaming, full of anger towards someone who had given up without even trying. 

He shouldn't be feeling like this. But this was wrong, and a small part of him simply refused to believe that his father was right.

"How could you?" He hissed scathingly, completely upset over something that should mean so little to him. "People believed in you!"

She simply wore her crooked smile, eyes dim with a type of exhaustion that he had come to recognise in the rest of the Omegas he had seen.

"People believed in you!"

Just like how he foolishly clung onto the belief that his mother would return one day.

"People trusted you!"

Just like how he had trusted her.

"How could you just succumb like that?" He said, oblivious to the way his cheeks grew damper with each passing minute. "Weren't you stronger than this?"

She closed her eyes, shaking her head wordlessly.

He felt something in him change then, after their meeting on that fateful evening.

He had known of a few Omegas and Betas that had tried to do what she had done before. But she had been the most convicted of the lot, facing the world with a steely heart that won his respect. 

All of them, every single one, crumbled and dropped their pursuit the moment his father proposed an alternative means to end their suffering. 

Infinite protection, finances, and shelter from the storm. Exception from the government's cold whip of the law.

She accepted all his terms like the indulgent, obedient Omega that he refused to believe she was.

How many has it been, now? Three, four? He couldn't quite remember, couldn't quite bring himself to listen to his father when he regaled him with tales of the long past.

Perhaps that was why he felt the sudden, irrational rush of anger towards someone he had absolutely no business investing in. 

"So, why?" he spat, "why would you do this?"

The girl's smile quivered. 

_Some things are worth giving up on._

* * *

Yuuri needed to pull through his heat. There was no avoiding it now, and as the week came to a close he knew that he had to find the means to settle it himself.

His friends had offered, as he expected them to.

But he had turned down every one of their offers, fully set on sitting out his heat on his own.

He didn't need to rely on anyone else but himself for matters such as these. More than a selfless notion, it was a selfish request on his part. 

Now, Yuuri knew that he should rely on his friends as much as possible when the situation called for it. Regarding matters of his sex, however, he felt too uncomfortable sharing with anyone else.

Phichit and Leo respected his boundaries enough, but had insisted that they stay over at his place as he rode out his heat.

Yurio had simply waved him off, and he had to promise that he'd see him in a few weeks.

Yuuri didn't trust any Alpha, none except his sister, to be present during his heat. 

What infuriated him the most was the attitude of the pharmacist and his colleagues when he went to purchase some supplies.

The pharmacist- a male Beta- had simply refused to sell him what he needed, reasoning that he couldn't do so when his Alpha was not present with him. 

"I'm spending my heat on my own." Yuuri groused, narrowing his eyes at the prudish Betas seated behind the counter. "Yet you refuse to sell me what I need just because my Alpha isn't present?"

The Betas frowned at him in distaste.

"What, do I need their permission to buy necessities?" He continued heatedly, not minding the stares that were on him. "What kind of rules are these?"

The pharmacist simply cast him a look of annoyance, flicking his wrist at him.

"Leave," he said dryly. "Until your Alpha comes with you, don't return and cause such a ruckus."

Several Alphas had risen from their seats and were now eyeing him predatorily. His gut clenched in distress.

"Say, what's your name?" The Beta said suddenly, inspecting him with a new sort of interest. "You seem awfully familiar."

Yuuri froze, suddenly very aware of the bandages around his neck. It did well to cover his mark, but it was alike wearing a giant neon sign while at it: An indication of a freshly marked Beta or Omega.

"That's none of your business, is it?" 

The Beta shut his mouth with a snap. Yuuri levelled an acrid glare at him as murmurs filled his ears.

_"Wait, isn't he..."_

_"Crap, but he smells faintly of an Alpha? Maybe he's just buying it for his Omega-"_

_"No, he's definitely an Omega. Look at his neck..."_

He left quickly after that. As he wandered down the street deep in thought, the distinct sound of shoes scuffling against the cement caught his attention.

"Yuuri!"

Yuuri turned, half expecting to see a familiar face. He was greeted by unknown smiles instead, and sweaty faces beaming brightly in the afternoon sun. 

A boy and a girl, both Japanese and siblings by his guess. A tad bit younger than him.

"We were at the clinic." The boy piped up, an Omega by his scent. "The doctor is always like that, don't mind him."

"Assholes, they are." The girl chimed in, smiling sadly. "But we Omegas have to support each other, don't we?"

He had paused then, eyes widening as he looked the two Omegas over.

"How do you know my name?" Yuuri began, trailing off when he caught the sparkle in their eyes. "...my blog? But it's been deleted."

The boy snorted. "Yeah it has, but we know that you'll set another one up in no time."

"You will, won't you?" The girl said, after a moment. She frowned worriedly at his hesitance, snapping her fingers at him authoritatively.

"You better!" She chided lightly, with a conviction in her eyes that Yuuri had not seen in his own for a long time. "Many of us are waiting on you! Don't disappoint us, Yuuri!"

The support took him by surprise and he blinked, slightly overwhelmed by it all. 

"You're all waiting... for me to set up my blog?"

The two Omegas exchanged glances, offering him bitter smiles. 

"I hate my Alpha." The boy muttered with a dead stare. "I hate the way she took me out of school just because she had the right to."

The younger Omega looked at him after a heartbeat, with a gaze so filled with reverence and pride that Yuuri felt a jolt in his chest. 

"Yet look at you," the boy continued firmly, "you managed to go so far. Not only did you break the stereotype, you even went as far as to expose their unfair act of doctoring grades!"

The girl nodded in agreement. 

"Do you know just how many of our friends were encouraged when they knew that?" she smiled, "You gave them hope! They weren't dumb they realised, they were simply put down by the administrators!"

Yuuri was at a loss for words. 

The two Omegas appraised him with looks of anticipation, and he felt a peculiar warmth envelope his throat. 

"We believe if there's anyone who can make a change, it's you." The boy said, rubbing his finger below his nose with a semi-cheeky grin. "We're behind you one hundred percent, all the way!"

"So please never feel disheartened." The girl said, watching him carefully. "You may not be very aware of it, but many of us are here to support you. Many more than you think."

They thrusted a packet of medical goods into his hands, shaking their heads when Yuuri tried to decline the gift.

"Let me pay you for it, at least." Yuuri said, but the two Omegas weren't having any of it. 

"This is the least we can do for you." They said in unison, and Yuuri felt his heart break at seeing the genuine emotion on their faces. "Take it as repayment for what you've done for us, Yuuri."

He offered them a smile, feeling the stirrings of a firm resolution deep in the recesses of his mind. "Thank you."

He was reminded why he had begun chasing this dream in the first place. A dream that didn't seem so farfetched now, in hindsight.

* * *

He has made up his mind.

* * *

Yuuri was well-prepared for his heat.

It was debilitating and painful. He had been delaying it for year, and it was only expected that the sensations were almost unbearable.

Now that he was marked, his body ached with need more than ever before, craving the embrace and warmth of his established partner. 

The sudden carnal desire thrashed within him like a ravenous beast, begging for the sweet release that he was unable to provide on his own. 

His sister had been there at his worst. When his whimpers became too loud, Mari would take him into her arms and whisper soothing verses into his ear.

She would simply hold him tightly, filling his senses with her comforting scent, and it brought him relief, albeit temporarily. 

Yuuri never used toys. He flat out refused to use any of them, despite being told otherwise. It wasn't healthy, they said, and such stubbornness was a useless attempt at staving off the inevitable. 

But he never listened, riding out his heat without the aid of sex toys with pure determination alone. 

It was an impressive feat, Mari had remarked with a smirk. 

As it neared to an end, he was worn out beyond belief. Exhausted, he rode out the last waves of his heat through gritted teeth and cold sweat.

"You should do this more often," his sister quipped through mutters of reassurance. "Your body will become more seasoned and adapted for it this way."

The Betas had been with him every step of the way, fetching toiletries as per his every request. None of them were allowed to enter the room except for his sister.

Mari possessed a respectable amount of self-control. He's been around her for a long time, and she had proven herself trustworthy many times over. 

He had made the correct decision to retreat home for his heat. Thankfully, it lasted for only a week, much shorter than average heat periods which lasted anywhere from two to three weeks. The absence of a sexual partner during his heat had shortened its duration, as his body knew instinctively that there was no use for it. 

He returned to his lectures after his heat had passed, and was immediately bogged down by all the module hours he had been absent for.

"Yuuri, the Betas are pissed." Phichit chuckled, passing over his phone. "They are planning something soon."

Yuuri looked at the screenshots on Phichit's phone, glancing at the Beta after a moment of deliberation. 

Phichit blinked in pleasant surprise when Yuuri flashed him a thoughtful smile. 

"Shall we help them?" Yuuri proposed, and the Beta jumped from the couch in excitement. Phichit rolled his eyes to the ceiling as he hummed, pondering over their options. 

"But how?" he wondered aloud, "the government took down your blog for good, remember?"

Yuuri placed the Beta's phone away. He studied the newspapers draped over the coffee table, thumbing at his lip pensively.

"I... have an idea." 

He grinned at the Beta almost mischievously, and Phichit a raised a brow at him in interest.

"You know what they say, if you can't beat them..."

Phichit's smile fell from his face in a matter of seconds. "...you... Yuuri, you want to join the government?"

Yuuri shook his head. "Not quite," he informed. "Not if we pretend to take their side."

Phichit's eyes widened slowly in realisation. "Yuuri... you are fucking brilliant."

"Not if we start a blog that shuts down critics of the government," Yuuri continued. "Not if we conceal our messages carefully from now on."

The Beta made a strangled noise of approval. 

"Let's do it."

* * *

He returned to the clinic again. 

This time Yuuri was prepared, and the Beta at the counter frowned as he approached.

"You again?" The pharmacist said with mild annoyance, furrowing his brows at him. "I thought I told you to..."

He paused, trailing off as Yuuri neared. His eyes went wide, and he studied him with fresh interest. "...hold on, you're an Alpha?"

Yuuri simply tilted his head to bare his neck, folding his arms across his chest impatiently. 

"I... I apologise." The pharmacist said quickly, fumbling through his words. "I... didn't know you were an Alpha that day. If you were buying supplies for your mate, you could've just said so."

The Beta stood hurriedly, pulling out some bottles from the cabinet behind him. "If you just told me your secondary gender-"

"You didn't ask," Yuuri said curtly. "You simply assumed, and you caused me quite a lot of trouble." 

Interestingly enough, the Beta withered under his gaze, looking completely apologetic.

"I'm sorry." The Beta said, passing him the receipt with a directness that was much appreciated. "We were told not to sell Omega products directly to Omegas due to indiscretion."

A small smile curved his lips. "Why? Do you feel that Omegas can't make the right decision by themselves?"

"Well, they are the most indecisive sex." The Beta replied with a flippant shrug of his shoulders. "They are easily swayed by their emotions, so it's logical to conclude that they have the poorest of judgment." 

Yuuri nodded along with his words.

"Perhaps you are right." He said gravely, passing the receipt back to the Beta after penning down his details. "See you soon."

Yuuri flashed him an affable smile as the Beta's eyes widened, leaving the clinic with a bag of supplies in hand.

He didn't need to turn back to know that the pharmacist was gaping at his back in shock.

* * *

The makeup covered up the mark nicely. 

It would scar, he knew it would. But he didn't want it hindering his life, didn't want to wear it like an iron branding that devalued him to nothing more than an Alpha's property.

With Yurio and Phichit's help, he managed to intensify the scent that was unique to his bond by applying scent enhancers directly onto his neck.

Scent glands would also become particularly active around his wrist, collarbone and behind his ears when he matured, hence dabbing these areas with a swab of Alpha-orientated scent enhancers did just the trick.

With these procedures in place, he no longer smelled like an Omega. Instead, he scented like the very Alpha that had found fit to mark him in such a brutal manner. 

If he played his cards right, he would be able to take advantage of his mark. 

Despite it all, despite everything.

Yuuri refused to cry over spilled milk. 

His reflection showed a boy who looked too young. Still too fresh-faced and inexperienced, too ill-suited for the world and too gentle for his own good.

But his eyes held a burning fire that enraptured the hearts of all that met him, a fire that would enchant a select few and enlighten the minds of many more. 

"Huh." Phichit remarked as he eyed the bag on the sink. "Didn't you already receive one from some kind Omega supporters two days ago?"

Yuuri's smile held a mellow wistfulness.

"I wanted to prove a point." He said firmly, with an intensity that surprised his friend. "A point that was well-delivered."

Yuuri glanced at the mark on his neck, barely visible through the layers of thick foundation and concealers. 

A flair of determination, and he drew out his exhale. 

"Things will only get better from here on out."

* * *

"This country claims they are ruled by a democracy, but it's edging to an authoritarian leadership," Leo mused as he lay sprawled across a computer chair. "They are cutting freedom of speech as it is, already."

Yuuri nodded distractedly, frowning at the myriad of drafts strewn on the computer table.

The two Betas spent the weekends gathered at his apartment, mulling over future plans and discussing their next course of action.

Yurio was always around, but he made sure to steer clear of them whenever they came over. It was almost ridiculous, Yuuri had said, when Phichit had expressed similar sentiments about avoiding the blond.

"He still tricked you, Yuuri." The Beta would say with a flat stare. "While you have a big enough heart to forgive someone so easily, I'm not the same."

The Alpha had glared at the Beta then, unleashing a threatening growl from his throat. 

"Did you do any better?" Yurio snarled. "You pushed him away when he needed your support the most!"

Phichit would try to conceal his flinch, but the damage was already done, and both his friends would settle into a morose, guilt-ridden silence.

"It's all over, anyway." Leo would say, acting as a mediator each time the matter was brought up. "Let's focus on the future, yeah?"

And Yuuri could only watch the exchange with a bitter sort of fondness, letting his thoughts drift to an email he had received from an unknown sender. 

It wasn't particularly odd, for he had received plenty of hate and spam mail back when his blog was still running. He was still receiving them now, but the number fell when Yurio had helped him set up a filter. 

No, what really made this email stick out was the file attached to it. 

It horrified him. It was an entire document filled with his personal details. It detailed his exemption from The Breeding Act down to the name of his original Alpha mate, information that even he himself had long forgotten.

He couldn't let the Betas know, not when it would terrify them even more. For all he knew, it could be a government agent's attempt at blackmailing him. But this would be futile, and he couldn't care less about threats like that, not when-

A paragraph under the attachment caught his eye, and his heart stilled in his chest.

He must investigate this matter on his own.

* * *

Designing a secret code was harder than he had thought. Yurio had added in his two cents after hearing about his plan, advising him to complicate it as much as he could.

The Alpha admitted that he wasn't knowledgeable in computer forensics, but he knew that the government had an abundance of tools at their disposal specially made to analyse such texts.

These tools included software that are programmed to scan and easily decode texts in sites, alerting the Ministry of Communications and Data Analysis should an incriminating message be spotted.

He would have to make the code tricky to go undetected under their radar.

"Vincent Nikiforov, currently 54 years old. He became the youngest PM in the world, taking the position at only 29 years old."

Yuuri leaned over Phichit's shoulder as the Beta began scribbling a brand new idea onto a fresh sheet of paper.

"Holy crap," Leo exclaimed, interrupting Yuuri's thoughts. "He's indeed the youngest PM in history. And to think that he doesn't have a family, even now."

Family. _Victor-_

A sharp throb shattered his thoughts, and Yuuri lost his grip on the backrest of Phichit's chair, collapsing onto the ground with a sharp cry.

Phichit was beside him in an instant, examining him with eyes filled with worry. "What's happened? What hurt you?"

He reached up to touch his mark instinctively, wincing when the slightest of brush sent tingles down his spine.

"It's his mark," Leo announced with sudden clarity. "Wait, hasn't it healed yet?"

_Victor Nikiforov._

"He has a son." Yuuri bit out as Phichit helped him onto a chair. "He's going to succeed his father through his political influence."

Leo looked incredulous. "No way, he doesn't have a single living relative that cares for him here. He's an ex-Russian national after all."

Yuuri closed his eyes as the pain ebbed away. Phichit squinted at him and crossed his arms. "Wait a minute. Yuuri, have you met his son before?"

Yuuri winced, averting his gaze. "Yes," he muttered darkly, "and I know for certain who he is."

"It's Evgeni, isn't it?" Phichit completed for him, and Yuuri blinked in astonishment. "It's pretty obvious even if you didn't tell us, Yuuri."

"It's what?" Leo shouted, and Yurio hissed irritably from somewhere in the apartment. "That white haired cretin?"

Yuuri only stared at his friend in shock. "H-how did you know?"

"I did some digging myself after you refused to tell us what went down in the brothel." Phichit replied with a frown. "It's easy to put two and two together after comparing different sources of information."

Leo paled, and his knuckles went white as he gripped the table. "So... Vincent has a son? The son of a bitch has a son and he's going to groom him into the perfect heir?"

Yuuri nodded his head in affirmation and the Beta groaned, hiding his face in his hands. "We're going to remain a totalitarian democracy forever!"

Phichit looked at Yuuri sharply. "Evgeni was the one who marked you, wasn't he?"

Before he could automatically deny it, the Beta narrowed his eyes at him warningly. "And don't you dare lie to me, Yuuri." Phichit quipped. "Come clean to us, please."

Yuuri hesitated, lowering his eyes. "Yes. Yes, he did."

Phichit bit his lip with a stormy look in his eyes. "I knew it."

Leo looked as like he was going to have an aneurysm. "Wait," he spluttered, "wait... wait, oh god, the prime minister's son marked you?"

Hearing it from another's mouth only made the fact sink in deeper. Yuuri nodded absentmindedly, raising a hand to trace the still tender wound.

"Holy fuck," the Beta whispered.

Phichit rubbed his face with a sigh. "Leo is right, Yuuri. Tell us, how did this happen?"

And tell them he did.

"He must be an illegitimate child," Leo reasoned with a scowl. "It would explain why we weren't aware of his existence all these years. He looks nothing like him either!"

Phichit squinted at Yuuri. "Are you telling the truth?"

"The absolute truth." Yuuri said tiredly. "I have proof of it on my phone."

They stewed in the silence that followed. 

"You're bonded to the pm's son," Leo said slowly as realisation caught up with him, "oh my god Yuuri, they're going to kill you."

Phichit frowned. "I doubt it. They would've taken action against him months ago if they really wanted him gone."

His friend was right. From his conversation with the silver-haired Alpha back in the brothel, he knew that the government currently had it out for him. 

Yuuri had braced himself for anything, fearing the worst during the days that followed the incident. Oddly enough, no one came after his family for cheating the law. 

It was almost fishy. Vincent wasn't kind enough to let him go so easily. Obviously, Victor would make his return as well if he was, indeed, sent by his father to bring him down a peg.

"He may return," Yuuri gritted out. "He failed to make me sign the custody transfer agreement."

Phichit scowled. "We'll be ready for him when that happens. But I doubt so... Yuuri, what if he just wanted to prove a point?"

Yuuri frowned in confusion. "Prove a point?"

"He wanted to give you a scare." Phichit concluded. "To teach you a lesson, so that you'll no longer antagonise them anymore."

Leo fumed. "You're telling us that he devised and executed an elaborate plan for an entire month, lured him into a brothel to mark him- just frighten him into submission?"

"It's highly possible."

Yuuri rubbed his eyes. He was tired of this discussion.

"I don't think he's after me anymore." Yuuri said softly. "Not until I spark something again."

Leo looked uncertain. "If you are sure," the Beta said, settling back in his chair. "We'll stay alert anyway."

"Oh." Yuuri mused, glancing at the two Betas as a sudden thought occurred to him. "His name's not Evgeni. It was just a convenient alias."

He was greeted with looks of surprise.

Yuuri blew out a sigh. "His name is..."

* * *

"Victor Nikiforov."

Spread the word. They could do it easily with Phichit's connections. 

"Do you want to continue living like this?"

Beware of another politician entering the field, an aggressive and manipulative one at that. One that will only extend the suffering of those under the current ruling party.

"The beginning of the message will always start right after any word forms of Omega or weak, while the word forms of Alpha or Beta will mark the end of the message."

They could do this. They could create a secret society of Omegas and Betas who would rise up to defend those that have suffered under the system.

"The second letter of every third word forms the message."

Text steganography, the art of hiding a secret message within an ordinary message. Unlike before, his website wasn't protected by a password or key of any kind.

No, this time it was open to the public. 

"Done." Phichit said, glowing with pride. "I've spread the news about your site." 

It would appear that the Ministry was trained to decrypt encrypted files, so cryptography would have been useless in that regard. 

Digital steganography was a possible alternative, but it was difficult for most ordinary citizens to read without the proper tools to decipher it.

"Take this passage for example," Phichit said, tapping at the screen with a pen to gather their attention. 

_Several Omegas have troubled PM Vincent Nikiforov, meddling in the restrictions of the student system and tarnishing his image. It is all strangely conspiratory after considering the horrifying HK movement recently. Tying in with towering worries over attacks targeted at young children, politicians swear to protect remaining citizens with training only Alphas can provide._

Posted 22:17 JST May 29  
Last Edited 19:40 JST May 30

Yuuri smiled slightly. "It relays the message, 'meet at tokyo tower'."

"They'll never be any the wiser," Phichit grinned back. "The number of words in the message will determine the coordinated meeting time."

"There are four words in the above message, so the meeting will take place four hours before the time the passage was posted onto the blog. In this case, the meeting will be at 18:17, at Tokyo Tower."

"The exact day will be determined by the Last Edited time," Yuuri added. "If it was last edited the day right after, that would mean that the meeting will take place the coming monday."

"Similarly, if it was edited three days after, the meeting will take place on the monday three weeks after the posted date." Leo said, jittery with excitement. "Gosh, it's perfect!"

"You'll need a failsafe."

The room fell silent, and all eyes turned on the Alpha that had wandered in sometime during their discussion. 

Yurio shrugged and picked a soda can off the coffee table, throwing himself onto the couch with a grumble.

"You know," Yurio muttered. "In case the government finds out and has the police lie in wait at the location. What will you do?"

"Cancel the meeting." Leo frowned. "Yurio's right, we need to have a failsafe."

"We will delete the Last Edited column to temporarily suspend the meeting." Yuuri picked a pen off the table, scribbling down the idea. "Deleting the entire post cancels it altogether."

Yurio frowned deeply, crushing the empty can in his hand. "That's not enough, piggy."

Leo scowled, and it was evident that tensions were still high. "What do you mean-"

"I hate to admit it, but he's right," Phichit interjected with mild annoyance. "If the government catches onto it, they'll have all the IP addresses of the members traced within a minute."

Yuuri jolted upright in his chair. "That'll be the end of everything. "

"No, it won't." Yurio said firmly. "Not if you make preparations for it."

Phichit shot the blond a shrewd smile. "Yuuri told us that you are amazing with technology, _Yurio_."

Yurio narrowed his eyes. "So what about it, Thick Brows?"

The Beta's smile wavered. "You know what to do, so cut the bullshit and spill it, Alpha."

"Woah, woah stop it!" Leo cried, smacking Phichit on the arm. "We're not about to repeat this again!"

The Betas glared at each other until Yuuri cleared his throat, waving his hands between them sheepishly. "Let's not fight, please."

Yurio sank deeper into the couch, rolling his eyes at the scene. "As Bushy Brows over there has stated, there is always a way to cover your tracks online."

"You would need to do a complete reset, wiping the database clean. All your hardwork will be gone, but it's the last resort, and it'll throw the government for a loop when they try to hack into the blog."

Yuuri winced, and the two Betas shifted in their chairs uncomfortably.

"Everyone will be safe, but the timing will be crucial." Yurio continued dryly. "Too soon, and the government will be able to track your specific address as the one who disconnected them from the server." 

Leo frowned, "this will be awfully taxing on the person who doing it."

"You need to erase the data at the right moment, leaving the trackers in limbo just long enough for us to withdraw and cut off all connection to the router."

Yuuri lowered his gaze. "Let's hope that doesn't happen," he murmured, "we'll be careful."

"No amount of caution can negate the possibility of such a situation." Yurio replied. "It'll definitely happen one day because Vincent is particularly malicious towards Omega rebels."

"Well, Yuuri will only fight back twice as strong." Phichit chimed. "And we'll bite back twice as hard. Isn't that right?"

Yuuri let a smile grace his lips. "You've never been more right."

* * *

The year went by without a hitch. 

The gang of Alphas that bothered him like a plague for the past few months had all but vanished. They didn't attend the college anymore, and Yuuri was greatly relieved.

It was only expected, Phichit had said, that the Alphas were following orders and were not actual students of the school. Now that Victor had withdrawn, there was no need for them to keep up the act any longer.

Personally, Yuuri found it disconcerting that the police hadn't appeared at his door demanding his arrest. They appeared to have forgotten about him completely, though he knew that was wishful thinking on his part. 

It only confirmed Phichit's suspicions. Vincent had sent his son as a warning, with the hope that he'd heed it and stay out of their way wisely. 

But the more he dwelled on it the less sense it made, despite factual evidence proving him wrong. 

Yuuri doubted. He doubted because of the way they parted that night, doubted Victor's actions that went against his spoken intentions.

If he had signed the custody agreement, he would have signed his life away for good. Victor would have been his Alpha mate, and he would be forced to do their every bidding. 

He would have been used as an example to teach the younger Omegas that hope, or any of its essences, will be lost eventually. There was no point in thinking critically, no point in coming up with alternative ideas for the system in place.

Because what the government did was final, and it was the decision made in the best interests of the country. Best not to question it, and stay silent like the flock of mindless sheep they had under lock and key, awaiting slaughter at the hands of a grinning shepherd.

These intentions would've made more sense compared to Phichit's suspicions. The PM never did seem so forgiving, and he felt wary despite receiving reassurance from his friends.

No, it did not make sense at all. But he couldn't do anything now, not when he still had a degree to complete.

The days were easier to get by. 

Studies only got more difficult, but he was glad that he could focus on it wholeheartedly without worrying about the Alphas' wicked shenanigans.

He only made more friends. Betas of all ages trailed him to his classes everyday, and Phichit was quick to take advantage of his sudden spike in popularity. 

More and more people came to know of his new blog, disguised as an unofficial news site which spoke ill of dissent against the Japanese government. 

"Have you ever thought about what you plan to do after this?" Leo said over lunch one day. "After we graduate?"

Phichit hummed. "I'll most probably join the human resource department in my father's company," he said thoughtfully. "My father will have me take over the company someday."

"Lucky!" Leo groaned. "You have your future all set for you. Meanwhile, Yuuri and I have to keep our nose to the grinding stone till we get a job."

"It's easier for you," Phichit replied with a huff. "You've gotten attached to two business firms already. Yuuri here hasn't even secured one internship."

Yuuri made a disgruntled noise in response as he lay face down on the canteen table. 

"Most companies are headed by Alphas," Phichit frowned. "Naturally, they would be biased towards their own sex. I'm guessing Yuuri's reputation doesn't help him either, in this case."

Yuuri covered his face, exhaling between his fingers. "I'll never regret doing that."

"You shouldn't," Phichit affirmed. "Lord knows how many Omegas you've inspired just through that one viral video."

Yuuri nodded as he lowered his hands. "That is exactly why," he said with a tight smile. "But..."

The Omega paused, clasping his hands in front of him. "I don't want to do just that. Inspiring Omegas will only go so far, and there are only so few that will feel my influence."

The Betas shifted with looks of despondence. 

"I want to make a lasting change," Yuuri continued with a tight frown. "And the only way to do that is by replacing the heart of the country."

Leo's eyes widened. "Are you telling us..."

"I majored in political sciences because I want to enter the political field," Yuuri muttered. "I want to break down the workings of this country and clean out the clogs that are faulty and corrupt."

Phichit stood suddenly, sending the bench toppling over. "That's very ambitious, Yuuri." His friend said sternly. "Do you know what you're suggesting?"

Yuuri met the Beta's gaze steadily. "Even if I do make it, I don't want to become a mindless politician under their thumb," he replied.

"The entire government is made up of deluded, single-minded fools with dicks for brains," Phichit said heatedly, narrowing his eyes at the Omega. "And you want to challenge them, Yuuri? You dare to compete against them on the political battlefield?"

"You'll be ripped to bits," Leo said nervously. "They'll eat you alive."

Phichit's expression darkened. "They'll throw you in jail once you lose, Yuuri. They can have you executed, or even worse. Yet you still want to take the risk?"

"Only people who are ready to lose what they have can ever hope to make a change." Yuuri said, pushing his bench out as he stood abruptly, meeting his friend eye-to-eye. "And I'm not afraid to do that."

The Beta in front of him leaned in with a scowl. "You don't have what it takes."

Yuuri narrowed his glare. "I do, and I will prove it to each and every person if I had to." 

The students around them, Alphas and Betas alike, quietened down as the two friends stared each other down for what seemed like a confrontation of sorts.

"I have the capability of doing it," Yuuri said firmly. "Just through that one incident, the government came after me; not because they wanted vengeance, but because they saw me as a threat."

Phichit scowled. "A threat, Yuuri? Are you sure?"

"We all know that!" Yuuri growled, and several more heads turned their way. "I want to change the system, and the only way to do that is to-"

"To do what?" The Beta cut him off with a slam of his fist. "To do what, Yuuri?"

"To fight against them in the next elections!" Yuuri snapped back, leaning forward with an infuriated hiss. "To replace the corrupt parliament members and rewrite the policies that have kept us tied to this country against our will!"

A hush settled over the canteen. 

It was only then, did Yuuri realise that most of the students were watching their exchange with wide eyes and curious gazes. Looks of wonder to looks of skepticism- but above it all, he was taken aback by the attention that he had commanded in just a few seconds.

A flush crept across his face, and only as he heaved to catch his breath after his passionate declaration did he realise what his friend had done. 

Phichit was watching him with a glimmer in his eyes. 

"Then we better get started," his friend said with a shrewd smile. "We have a lot of work in front of us."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A ton of foreshadowing in this chapter. 
> 
> Also, I'm going on a week-long trip to Malaysia! I'll try to write during the car rides and hopefully, the next chapter will come out soon!  
> \---  
> I cannot stress the importance of reader input in a fic like this, so if you have any ideas/anything to add/even the smallest of suggestions please feel free to drop me an ask or pm me! I won't bite, and I'll love to hear your thoughts on this chapter! ;w;
> 
> Shoutout to these few friends who have helped me out with plot ideas in the chapters to come, I cannot express enough gratitude: [yamibaki](https://archiveofourown.org/users/YamiBaki/pseuds/YamiBaki), [dannibolt](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dannibolt8/pseuds/Dannibolt8). From the bottom of my heart, thank you. And to the anon/s on [tumblr](https://chibifoxx-fic.tumblr.com/) that have been sending me relevant asks as well!
> 
> (Yes, I spend most of my time on tumblr crafting out the plot of APA, and I have plenty, and I really mean plenty, of exciting things in store for this fic. I hope you'll stay with me till then!) <3<3


	14. Three Blind Mice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> New arc, new arc!! The actual story starts from here. Get ready, for this will be quite a wild ride. This is an information-rich chapter (at least for the first part), so do take your time digesting it!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, some important things to note before you begin reading from here on out. (Please, _please_ bear with me- you don’t have to remember all this info off the bat, rather use it as reference when certain parts of the story gets confusing, and even so just drop me a message) OR just read this for the Victuuri, either way lmao
> 
> Keep in mind that some things will be tweaked/inaccurate compared to rl because this is a fic after all, so please keep an open mind :’) I’m still learning, so do tell me if I contradict myself! Research only brings me so far. ALSO, I hold no grudge against any system/structure, I started APA because I found it incredibly interesting to learn about how different countries are governed.
> 
> Since politics differs with each country/state/city, I will be focusing on a particular type of system (multi-party parliamentary system), where multiple political parties will contest against each other in order to secure seats in the parliament. I won’t be following Japan’s current governing structure as in APA the existing government is mostly made up of ex-Russian nationals (for reasons), and a foreign ruling will change the governing system of Japan as we know it today.
> 
> Generally, (at least for the government structure I am basing this on), there will be two prominent elections, firstly- the parliamentary elections, and secondly-the presidential elections. The former will be the elections (General Elections, GE) that will determine the allocation of the 130 seats in parliament.
> 
>  
> 
> **Parliamentary elections:**
> 
>  
> 
> Seats in the parliament are allocated to candidates who have won the elections for a certain constituency (Japan is divided into parts by the election department).
> 
> BUT since we are using this structure for Japan, I will be using the names of prefectures as the names of the constituencies. (etc. Hokkaido GRC [Group Representation Constituency]). So there will be 47 constituencies (there are 47 prefectures in Japan).
> 
> Each constituency will have an election where each voter in that prefecture will vote once for their desired party (Each party has to put up a team of candidates), in a plurality election system (registered voters vote for their desired party->the winning party must receive the most votes compared to any other party->they will have a certain number of seats in parliament [varies depending on how big each prefecture is]).
> 
> The leader of the political party that secures the majority of seats in the parliament will be asked by the President to become the Prime Minister (PM)- currently, Victor’s father- Vincent Nikiforov.
> 
>  
> 
> **Presidential elections:**
> 
>  
> 
> The President is determined by the popular vote. All voters in the country will vote once, and the candidate with the most votes will become President.
> 
> In APA, Yuuri will contest against various political parties to gain seats in the parliament, but that is not enough as his voice can be easily overridden, so he needs to make it such that he wins the majority of the seats in parliament by winning most of the GRCs in order for him to have a proper say in the government. Basically, fighting for the seat of PM.
> 
> I hope... that this wasn't too confusing! I did a ton of research on government/electoral systems, picked out the elements I wanted to include into APA and simplified it as much as I could, so hopefully those that don't have much knowledge on how such systems work will be still able to enjoy the fic! 
> 
> Okay, now that all this is out of the way: Please enjoy the chapter!  
> \---  
>  _Three blind mice, three blind mice,_
> 
>  
> 
> _See how they run, see how they run,_
> 
>  
> 
> _They all ran after the farmer's wife,_
> 
>  
> 
> _Who cut off their tails with a carving knife,_
> 
>  
> 
> _Did you ever see such a thing in your life,_
> 
>  
> 
> _As three blind mice?_

"Say, what do you want to be when you grow up, Yuuri?"

Yuuri blinked, looking up from his hands after a moment.

"A teacher." He replied, looking at his sister with wide eyes. "I want to share my knowledge with my friends."

His sister had laughed. "Is it because Ma and Pa have been telling you that joining the civil service will guarantee a stable career?"

Yuuri flushed, shaking his head wildly. He played with the hem of his shirt as he pursed his lips, meeting his sister's gaze shyly.

His sister smiled at his antics. "Well, that's a very modest dream, Yuuri."

"It's average," he had said, stuttering through his teeth. "It's nothing big."

His sister rolled over on the futon, bored but curious. "So what if it's unremarkable?" She replied, waving a hand at him as she spoke. "Do you find it shameful to pursue such a simple dream, or are you afraid to chase something larger?"

Yuuri glanced away with a pout. "I... don't know."

His sister hummed. "Do you have to chase big dreams to prove that you are extraordinary?"

Yuuri tilted his head in question, and Mari gave him a lopsided grin. 

"Can ordinary people only pursue ordinary dreams? Can they never achieve things because they weren't born in the right place, at the right time?" She trailed off in thought, turning her gaze to the ceiling. "It's ridiculous, isn't it?"

Yuuri's head spun from all the questions, and his sister looked at him knowingly.

"You see Yuuri, we can only achieve as far as we believe." His sister chuckled airily, and her voice was light, dancing off the walls in a tenuous melody.

"Anyone is capable of anything if they put their heart to it. Don't limit your potential just to conform to the expectations of others."

Yuuri hesitated, and his sister reached forward to ruffle his hair fondly. "Don't let them get to you no matter what. Alright?"

* * *

.  
.  
.  
.  
_4 years later_  
.  
.  
.  
.

* * *

"Yo." 

A folder was thrown onto his desk uncaringly, sending a few leaflets flying in disarray. Yuuri suppressed his wince, looking up with a restrained sigh.

"Would it kill you..." he began tiredly, ignoring the way the Alpha's eyes widened slightly, "would it kill you to be more gracious around your colleagues?"

His colleague, a simple man in his thirties and no doubt a patronizing shit to the newcomers of the company, simply rolled his eyes with a scoff. "Getting mouthy on your third week here already, Katsuki?"

Yuuri stared at him flatly. "...it doesn't reflect well on you to be picking on the newcomers, does it?"

The Alpha turned red in indignance. "How dare you-"

"You two, keep it down." A Beta said warningly, turning around in her seat to glare at them. "Tone down your temper, it's distracting us."

The pheromones in the room lightened, and the Alpha threw him one last acrid glare before leaving the office. 

"He's quite an arrogant one." 

The same Beta spoke again from the cubicle next to his, smiling at him with a pinch of sympathy. "You're quite the talk around here. It's not often we get Omega fresh blood."

Another Alpha snorted from his left, shooting him a sly smile. "I've seen too many assholes around here," he added as he glanced up from his paperwork, "it baffles me to know that you have to live with this everyday."

They were the only ones left in the office. It was ten, and most had already retired home.

Yuuri shook his head with a smile. He rearranged the papers neatly, glancing at his watch after putting the dossier away. A shadow cast over him, and Yuuri peered up to see the friendly Alpha handing him a stray piece of paper that escaped his notice. 

"Chase," The Alpha offered. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

The American transferred here from the American branch of Cialdini Media Group Ltd. a few days ago. Simply put, he had been appalled by the way Omegas were treated in Japan, and could be found whining- rather frequently might he add- about the lack of Omegas in the company.

_"You know, my old office had a bunch many Omegas." Chase had gushed to him, looking absolutely elated when he realised that there was at least one Omega in their department. "Swarming with them. They have a knack for linguistics, so it's a shocker to know that you're the only one here."_

Yuuri took the paper with an appreciative smile. "Likewise."

"How are things?" Chase asked, looking over his files good-naturedly. "It can't be easy for you, being the only Omega in the editorial department."

Yuuri laughed lightly. "I can manage."

"Well if you need any help, just ask." The Alpha smiled warmly, returning to his desk to pack up his belongings. "It'd be my pleasure." 

Yuuri nodded. Chase winked at him flirtatiously before leaving, and the Beta beside his cubicle snorted in laughter. 

"He's so different from the Alphas here," she said dreamily, shooting him a small smirk. "I think he fancies you."

"Their culture is very different from ours." Yuuri chuckled. A pause, and he gave her a meaningful glance. "...and so is their government."

"Mhm." The Beta hummed, grabbing her bottle with a sad smile. "Give me a moment, I'll refill this in a jiffy."

Yuuri shook his head, "it's alright, Hana. I don't need a lift today."

The female Beta stopped at the door. "Yuuri... it's not very safe and you know that."

Yuuri rubbed his arm sheepishly. "It's alright, nothing will happen. I can't keep accepting your offers, anyway."

Hana sighed heavily, leaning her weight against the doorframe. She stared out of the window almost wistfully, turning to him after a moment. "Spirits are especially high today."

Yuuri stilled, scanning the office quickly. The moon hung high in the pitch black sky, and the ticks from the clock down the corridor seemed all that more strident in the empty office.

"That's only expected," Yuuri said in a low mutter. "Many Alphas took leave after knowing the results would come in this afternoon."

Hana closed her eyes, sighing softly. "The Betas in Cialdini know of your site. You're lucky they're loyal, or your site would be deactivated by them in a heartbeat."

Yuuri's face softened. "I'm grateful for that."

The Beta gave him a weak frown. "You won't be able to keep this up for long, now that he's in for another term. They're going to tighten their ruling now that-"

"Now that the opposition is making a comeback," Yuuri completed. "I know. But please don't worry about me."

His colleague rubbed her temples. "If you are sure," she said uncertainly. "Do remember that all the Betas in this company are on your side."

Yuuri felt a small smirk creep onto his lips. "That was one of the reasons why I was able to join this company in the first place."

Hana laughed gently. "You're right, you're very right. I forgot who I was talking to for a moment."

* * *

The night was chilly. Yuuri tugged his coat around himself more tightly, blinking away the dust in his eyes as the wind whipped at his dry cheeks. 

He adjusted the glasses on his nose, squinting at his reflection in a passing window. Immediately, he was hit with a pang of unfamiliarity. He hadn't noticed it, hadn't taken the time to properly take in his appearance- but now that he had- he could hardly recognise the person staring back at him. 

The years had eaten away his baby fat, and his face had become slimmer and more well-sculpted. The look he wore to work everyday- gelled back hair and black rimmed glasses- accentuated his jawline and cheekbones, giving him a strict look that he had been striving for. It worked in some way, and now that he could no longer use the mark to cover his scent, he had learned to fend off trouble using another method.

_Carry yourself with confidence, displaying no fear even in the presence of Alphas. Your decisiveness would show in your scent, and it would serve to intimidate or warn away the Alphas to a degree._

Stopping by the mini-mart on the way back was a good respite from his thoughts. He soaked in the warmth from the heaters gratefully, picking a newspaper off the stand with numb fingers. 

He glanced about the shop surreptitiously. Just to be safe. It was better to be safe than sorry, after all. Parting the pages to a certain section, he skimmed through the tiny Helvetica font with ardent interest.

"Here again, Omega?"

Yuuri rolled his eyes. The Alpha, a young lad clad in a tacky striped uniform smirked as Yuuri turned his gaze on him.

The newspaper crinkled in his hands.

"I'm just getting a paper." Yuuri replied, shooting the cashier a kind smile. "I'll be going now."

He slid the coins over the counter, taking the receipt handed to him with a nod. The Alpha gave him a once over, and their gazes met in a meaningful exchange. 

His lips tilted upwards.

Yuuri exited the mart after that, unfolding the receipt to reveal a neat row of letters and numbers. He scanned the information with a somber expression, neutral to those who were watching him. Good, there was nothing unusual today. 

Pausing at the bus stop, he flipped open his phone to check the timings. The movement of shadowy figures not far from him caught his eye. A group of men off work just like him, watching him with gazes so sharp they could pierce lead. 

They had roguish features, and judging from the scent carried by the westward wind, they were most definitely Alphas. Musty with self-entitlement, the air was laced with the stench of alcohol. 

Predatory gazes. Any Omega would know these looks by heart. 

The wind turned east. The Alphas flinched back, and a bus rumbled to a timely stop. Yuuri walked past them with a composed gait, boarding the bus with no trouble at all.

The air stilled once he entered the vehicle, and the wariness which soured the scent of the Alphas dissipated.

The driver gave him a once over, frowning in obvious disapproval. Yuuri tapped in with an agonising slowness, dragging out the process with a knowing smile. The Beta turned away, but refrained from saying anything else.

_An Omega out by himself, at this hour? Why, he must be completely off his rocker!_

Wordlessly, Yuuri drifted to the top deck of the bus, settling into the leftmost seat at the back. The passenger beside him smiled in acknowledgment.

"How was work?" 

Yuuri shrugged. He shouldered off his bag, easing into the seat with a light exhale. 

"Carpe diem," he replied, shutting his tired eyes. 

The person beside him chuckled softly. "Ciao ciao didn't push you too hard today, did he?"

Yuuri scoffed in response. "You should know."

His friend laughed again, but this time his voice carried a hint of mischief. "Carpe diem."

Yuuri let his hand fall to the side, tucking the crumpled piece of paper in the crevice of the Beta's bag. He unfolded the newspaper after that, noting the messy scrawls on the second page.

He had learned to watch his friend's movements from the side of his peripheral vision. It was almost like clockwork, how they would go through the same routine every week.

The Beta plucked the receipt from his bag easily, peeking at its contents before crumpling it in his fists. A small smile, and Yuuri felt his own lips twitch upwards at the sight.

He turned his attention back to the newspaper in his hands, checking the number on the page before glancing at the headlines.

**BREAKING NEWS**

Prime Minister Vincent Nikiforov to stay in office for another term

GE: AWP scores stunning victory; opposition sees support erode

[Japan] The Aria Workers' Party (AWP) powered to a stunning win in the general election, lifting its overall vote share by 9.72 percentage points to 69.86 per cent - and reversing a two-election slide in their popular vote... [see more on page 3]

"Are you tired?" The Beta said after a moment, and Yuuri flipped the page with a shake of his head.

**BREAKING NEWS**

_1:48 PM_  
GE: Why the vote swung to the AWP

 _1:51 PM_  
GE: PAP's Seung-gil Lee accepts results as endorsement of PM Vincent-led AWP

 _10:12 AM_  
GE: AWP teams thank residents early Saturday morning

 _3:30 AM_  
GE: AWP scores stunning victory; opposition sees support erode

 _3:14 AM_  
GE: PAP wins Iwate GRC

 _4:26 AM_  
GE: AWP clinches 60.7% of votes for Hokkaido GRC

"Not yet," he said quietly as he committed some information to memory. "What about you?"

The Beta chuckled, fishing a rolled up tabloid from the side of his bag. "Not yet, darling."

Yuuri took the magazine from him, perusing the pages slowly. He pieced apart the words in his head to form the hidden sentence within seconds, with an efficiency that came with experience.

He closed the tabloid after flashing the Beta a particular raucous picture of a scantily clad Omega in one of the gossip columns. Yuuri grinned cheekily. "Is this what you bought this for?"

His friend sent him a deliberate wink. "Maybe."

Yuuri shook his head with a smile, slotting both reads into his backpack. He stood up soon after, and the Beta followed him closely as they alighted the bus at their stop. 

They walked for a good few minutes, down the stretch of road that was once so unfamiliar to him in the highly respectable suburb of Azabu. 

Only upon turning on the fifth corner did the Beta dare to break the silence that had settled over them. "AWP won the majority vote."

Yuuri hummed thoughtfully. "It was expected."

His friend frowned, tucking his hands into his pockets as he studied the lines on the pavement. "Dammit, I thought they’d have lost more seats than just twenty-two."

"The people are wavering, though." 

The Beta sulked petulantly, kicking a stray pebble onto the road. "Yeah, PAP won 19 GRCs instead of 14 and JAC won seats in the parliament for the first time."

"It's something," Yuuri said, sporting a half-smile. "Support for them is waning."

The Beta shot him a quizzical look. Yuuri met him halfway with jaded eyes, and his friend hesitated before speaking.

"You know what that means though," the Beta said slowly, "we don't have much time."

Yuuri raked his fingers through his hair, pushing his fringe out of his eyes with a long sigh. They enter the apartment building together, waving at the Beta guard on duty. A polite greeting of sorts, or at least what it appeared to be.

The lift couldn't come fast enough. 

The Beta was worried about him. He knew that everyone was, and he expected as much with the release of the election results.

Yuuri tapped his feet impatiently, listening to the rings as the elevator descended the floors. His friend was almost afraid to take his eyes off him, sneaking glances at him every few seconds.

"Phichit." Yuuri said monotonously once they stepped into the lift, "we'll figure this out."

The Beta flinched. "We all expected it," he murmured, "but now that he's been re-elected for certain, the reality is a whole lot harder to take in."

Phichit vocalised the thoughts on the minds of every single person who voted against AWP. Everyone didn't expect any less than that, but the hope was there all the same.

"We need to change their minds." Yuuri licked his dry lips as he stared at the lighted elevator buttons, deep in thought. "...I wanted beef for the steamboat dinner, not pork."

Phichit blinked once, then twice in confusion. "Huh? I was talking about-"

Yuuri glimpsed at the tabloid in his hands with a hooded stare. He pulled a pen from his breastpocket and scribbled something on the magazine cover, passing it to the Beta after he was done.

The chickenscratch was barely legible to any other person who hadn't been around him for years. Phichit took a gander at it and rolled the magazine in his hands, meeting the Omega's eyes in the reflective mirror on the lift's walls.

"I'm hungry," Yuuri muttered. "Are you?"

Their gazes never broke. Phichit chuckled, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. A nervous tick of his. Only a few knew of his peculiar idiosyncrasy. "You bet I am."

The doors rattled open, and they leave the elevator quietly. They didn't have to walk far. The third door to the left, just a ways down the corridor.

"They bugged the lift." 

Phichit bit his lip when they stopped at a door. "Until you pointed it out, I never noticed."

Yuuri pulled the keys from his pocket, twirling them around his finger. They clinked noisily, and he looked straight into the eyehole with three firm knocks to the door.

Phichit was watching him silently again. He was doing it more often ever since a year ago, a few months after they had assembled the group.

Yuuri unlocked the door, pushing it open to reveal an Omega standing at the threshold. The boy nodded shyly, stepping aside to let them pass.

"How was work?"

Phichit managed a smile. "Carpe diem."

After the door was shut and latched properly, Yuuri turned around with a heavy sigh. "We... we have to move soon."

The Omega's face lit up in understanding. "I'll tell the rest," he said quickly, scampering down the hall. But then he halted, hit by a particular sudden thought, and turned around with a wry smile. "Be quick. We have a lot of things to discuss."

They nodded curtly. Yuuri made to cross the distance down the hall when Phichit cleared his throat, catching his attention. 

"You've changed." The Beta observed, with a wistful look in his eyes. "You really have, you know that?"

Yuuri looked at his friend for a long moment.

"I'm not complaining," Phichit said with a lighthearted chuckle. "It's just something I noticed over time."

Yuuri lowered his eyes. "Is that so?"

"But you're the same person I've known all these years." Phichit said fondly, placing his shoes onto the rack by the door. 

Yuuri hummed in response, mimicking his actions. 

"Though you're not so easy to read anymore," Phichit noted, "but no matter what you do, I will always be able to read your thoughts all the same."

Yuuri shook his head with a soft smile. The atmosphere lightened, and Phichit threw his arm around his shoulders with a yawn. "Man, I'm dead tired," he groaned. "My father doesn't cut me any slack."

"You're becoming more like Leo." Yuuri berated gently, shifting his weight across his shoulders. He lugged his friend to the workroom with a grunt, and several heads turned at his presence. 

"He's getting more like me?" A voice piped up. A Beta peered over from his computer, raising a brow at him incredulously. "What's wrong with that?"

The room was well lit compared to the rest of the apartment. Filled with a handful of computer tables, the two Betas seated at their respective places beamed at him with tired smiles. 

Leo and Emil. The Alpha that he was looking for was not at his desk, however. 

"Guang Hong." Yuuri called, and the Omega popped his messy head of hair into the room from the opposite door. "Where is Yurio?"

"He left without a word." Guang Hong replied, looking rather uncomfortable. "He left after the results were announced-"

"Don't mind him," Leo said quickly. "We have more concerning things to address, Yuuri. They are shutting down non-government operated television and news providers."

Guang Hong blinked, shaking his head a few times to clear his thoughts. "Oh yes! XYZ news will be shut down next Friday," the Omega chirped with a frown, "they were talking about it, but it hasn't been confirmed yet so they haven't reported it to us proper."

"Yuuri! Think fast!"

Yuuri held out his hands, catching the folder that was thrown at him from across the room. Emil wiped his brow with the back of his arm, traipsing across the room stiffly.

"I'm going to get a coffee." Emil declared, giving Yuuri's shoulder a comforting squeeze before he left. "Good to see that you're alright."

Leo pushed back his chair, taking off his headphones with a tired groan. "We collated the polling results for the individual constituencies," the Beta informed, "you're holding a day's worth of tireless research." 

Phichit perked up with a snort, shaking Yuuri's shoulders with a smirk. "Leo's just fishing for compliments."

Leo spluttered in indignance, and Guang Hong sniggered in amusement by his side. 

It was warm. He wanted to bask in the atmosphere a bit longer, but he had more concerning matters to address. Yuuri flipped the folder open, studying the percentages in silence. 

"They bugged the lift." Phichit glanced at the papers in his hands and pulled away from him with a sigh, "I don't know how they tracked us down so fast."

They had moved ten times in the last four years. The government got more controlling as the years passed, only slackening their laws in the last two years in a bid to garner favour for the coming elections.

Evidently, their group's efforts to persuade the people to vote against the government had paid off. But he knew that a small amount of doubt wasn't enough to sway the results, not when the parliament members were selected using a plurality voting system for the Group Representative Constituencies (GRCs).

Each political party had to put up a team of candidates corresponding to the number of seats allocated per electoral division. Registered voters in the respective GRCs vote according to the party they preferred, and in a winners-take-all coup, the winning party would secure all the seats for that division. 

By rewriting the electoral boundaries, the number of divisions was drastically reduced. The Single Member Constituencies (SMCs) were renamed as GRCs, and a group of candidates was to represent the prefecture instead of a single member. 

While the government had introduced the system of GRCs to ensure a larger minority representation in the governing body, the number of Beta and Omega politicians only fell. 

Yuuri knew the truth, and so did those that bothered to analyse the government's tactical decisions. In truth, the new system only made it even harder for other parties to compete against the dominating party. 

"We'll go over the results together, alright?"

Phichit's voice snapped him out of his thoughts, and he blinked, dismissing the fleeting notion.

"Don't worry too much alright? You're stressing out again." Phichit scowled, snatching the file from his hands. "Slowly. We'll go through this slowly. They can't do anything to us just yet."

"Why would they?" Leo shrugged nonchalantly, "they don't have anything against us."

No, they did not. Not when the government was still blissfully unaware of their doings.

Yuuri caught Phichit looking at him out of the corner of his eye. The Beta tried to seem nonchalant about it, but even as oblivious as he usually was, he could tell that his friend was listening attentively. 

Keeping an eye and ear out for anything suspicious. 

"Why are you so jittery, then?" Phichit said, scrunching up his nose. "Yuuri, you're worrying yourself over absolutely nothing."

Yuuri met his eyes with a steely gaze, and the Beta flinched visibly at his expression. Worry took over, and Phichit was now looking at him in unbridled concern.

"Are you hiding something from us again?"

Yuuri shook his head, and the motions came to him with surprising ease. Lying came with surprising ease. Maybe Phichit was right. Maybe he had changed.

"Nothing important," Yuuri said dismissively. "I know better than to keep it from you."

Phichit narrowed his eyes. Silver glinted in the light, and a switchblade was pulled from his pocket in an instant. The Beta held it out at arm's length, pointing it at him without any hesitance. No trace of hesitance at all. 

But Yuuri didn't even flinch, eyeing the blade that was held just a foot away from his chest warily.

Leo and Guang Hong went silent. 

"You better not be an informant," the Beta said slowly. "You know what we do to those here."

The government had an extensive system of informants that monitored the citizens with respect to political and other possible infractions without reference to civil rights. Public spaces were bugged should something incriminating be mentioned and even elevators in the most unassuming of places were of no exception.

Yuuri raised his hands in surrender but didn't move an inch from his spot. "You know who I am, Phichit."

Phichit lowered the blade with a flick of his wrist. "One can never be too sure," he replied sourly, "and you've been acting weird since last week."

"He was just nervous about the election results," Leo snapped as he stepped away from his laptop. He began walking towards them quickly, and Phichit tensed as he approached. "Don't pull the blade randomly-"

"Don't move."

Leo stopped immediately.

Freedom of speech and expression was almost non-existent. The government ruled the country through an undercurrent of fear. Everyone was on edge, especially now that the current elections were over. 

They had announced a list of reforms they had been meaning to make, and while some flagrantly violated their rights the citizens were too scared to vote against the base party. The situation only got more dire as time slipped past. 

Guang Hong let out a distressed whine, filling the air with nervous pheromones. "Phichit, what are you doing? Yuuri isn't the enemy!"

Yuuri met the Beta's gaze steadily, and they stared at each other in what seemed like a silent exchange of words.

Criticism against the government was strictly curtailed. Yuuri had seen more than a handful of comrades fall into their hands the past few years, and he made sure they moved every so often to throw the surveillance off their tracks. 

Phichit withdrew the blade with a sigh, tucking it neatly into the backpocket of his pants. "...I know. But something bothers me."

The Beta watched him carefully. "You haven't shown the least bit of emotion towards the election results. That's very fishy, and I've known you long enough to know how you'll react."

A pause, and Yuuri still refused to speak. He wanted to hear him out completely before anything else.

"...did you know the results even before the announcement?" Phichit scowled, "is there an information source you're aliasing with that you're not revealing to us?"

Yuuri flinched, waving his hands about. "No... why would I do something like that?"

Leo released a breath. "How can you doubt Yuuri?" He scowled, glaring at Phichit in confusion. "He wouldn't do something like that and you know that!"

"We can never be too sure." Phichit snapped tiredly, glancing at Yuuri who was standing stock-still by his side. "We've seen how internal spies betrayed other rebel groups!"

"You're just tired!" Leo hissed. "You're not thinking straight, and your paranoia is directed at friends you should trust wholeheartedly!"

The only other Omega in the room withered at the prospect of another conflict. Yuuri cast Guang Hong an apologetic look, sending him out of the room with a discreet nod towards the door. 

And so the Omega departed, but not without another worried glance at the squabbling Betas. Yuuri stepped between his two friends with a frustrated sigh. 

"This is my fault," he relented with a tired frown. "We're all tired, so let's dissolve this matter for now, alright?"

Phichit huffed, shoving the files into his chest before leaving the room. Yuuri watched him leave with a hint of concern, and Leo rested his head the wall with an irritated mutter. "God, what have they done to us?"

The Beta rubbed his face, peering at Yuuri from between his fingers. 

"This seems awfully familiar." Leo croaked, looking at him sharply. His breath hitched as Leo's gaze slid to his neck, flickering away not a second later. "You can't deny that."

"You're doubting me too." Yuuri stated, finally breaching the topic that had been continuously alluded to the previous week. "You really are."

No amount of sugarcoating would do it now. They have beaten around the bush long enough.

Leo's brows knitted together. "Can you blame us?" He growled, "tensions are high after three Beta rebel groups were suddenly arrested last Friday! There was no warning at all. No warning at all, Yuuri!"

His heart sank. They didn't speak of it, but the news had disheartened them greatly. They were closely affiliated with one of the groups which consisted mostly of Betas. 

Beyond the Rink. The charity organisation had brought together several groups in the last few years, organising clandestine meetings that boosted support within the Omega community.

From Omegas that were suffering from domestic abuse to Omegas that had been sexually assaulted and harassed, and those that had limited options in terms of pursuing political justice for themselves.

"There was no warning at all." Yuuri repeated, allowing the words to sink in properly. "They planned to take the groups in all at once to scare the rest that they haven't dug out yet."

He knew that Phichit had reacted like that because of pent up frustrations. Being the most passionate out of them, he had been largely responsible for maintaining the good relations between the other rebel groups, forging many invaluable friendships in the process.

The mood in their group took a huge turn since last Friday. To see his friends arrested without any prior warning must have hit Phichit the hardest. 

Leo picked up the discarded folder from the table, handing it to Yuuri with a sullen expression. "The other party leaders are acknowledging AWP after it was reported that Vincent took the elections by a landslide."

Yuuri took the folder, pulling out a few sheafs of paper that he had kept folded impeccably in his pants. He smoothened out the creases, looking between the two reports in silence. 

Leo's eyes widened. "That's..."

Yuuri brought a finger to his lips, meeting his gaze with a serious look in his eyes. He beckoned the Beta closer and Leo happily obliged, shifting to his side to get a clearer look at the papers.

"...fuck." The Beta whispered. A pause, and the look of marvel was wiped away and replaced with one of horror. "Yuuri... how did you get this? Is this accurate?"

He didn't reply, and Leo stiffened. "You... actually-" 

Yuuri slapped a hand over his mouth. A shadow shifted down the corridor, barely discernable in the half-darkness. Leo froze as footsteps approached, slow but certain. 

Yuuri pulled his hand away, motioning for Leo to leave. "Meet me in my room in ten," the Omega muttered, sending him off with the folder. "...don't say anything."

Yuuri watched the Beta exit the room with his metaphorical tail tucked between his legs, turning to address the person that had just entered. 

"...Yurio."

* * *

"The news on the polling results have been tampered with. This is a trusted non-government owned news agency, but even their reports are homogenous- all stated the vote count for AWP as higher than it actually is." 

Yuuri frowned as he fingered the sample counts splayed out on the floor. 

"AWP would have still won," he said thoughtfully, "but they have still heavily overstated their win."

Leo nodded along to his words. "I can see why they did that but... was there a need, given that the results would have been the same anyway?"

Of course, they had to. The results implied that AWP was losing the confidence of the citizens, a very telling sign of the unhappiness brooding just beneath the surface of Japan.

Hokkaido GRC  
5 seats  
Registered Votes:  
AWP- 72.7%  
PAP- 24.2%  
JAC- 3.1%

Aomori GRC  
2 seats  
Registered Votes:  
AWP- 65.9%  
PAP- 29.2%  
JAC- 4.9%

...

Yuuri placed the papers next to the printed documents for a side-by-side comparison of the data. "Look."

Hokkaido GRC  
5 seats  
Registered Votes:  
AWP- 60.7%  
PAP- 30.2%  
JAC- 9.1%

Aomori GRC  
2 seats  
Registered Votes:  
AWP- 55.9%  
PAP- 32.2%  
JAC- 11.9%

...

"That's actually quite a difference," Leo muttered, tracing the figures with a forefinger as he did some mental calculations. "Goodness, do they want to preserve their reputation so badly?"

Yuuri leaned back against the bed frame with a heavy sigh. "That's not their only motive, Leo."

The Beta huffed, blowing out his cheeks as he looked at the statistics again. "But I don't see why else-"

"They don't want to give the people hope." 

Leo paused as realisation dawned on him. 

"They know that showing the actual sample counts to the public would be a sign of weakness," Yuuri surmised, "the people will realise that the government could be easily toppled with a few more votes, and they don't want that to happen."

The Beta paled. "Oh god... I didn't think of that."

Yuuri chewed on the end of his pen, pulling it from his mouth to add a few scribbles to the papers in front of them. "And it's because..."

He plucked the paper off the tiles, raising it to Leo's face. "...this is a very precarious percentage."

_Average percentage of votes (per GRC) won by each party in the General Elections:_

_AWP- 56.2%_  
PAP- 35.0%  
JAC- 8.8% 

Yuuri lowered the sheet, raising another one for the Beta to see. "...versus the reported mean percentage of votes."

Average percentage of votes (per GRC) won by each party in the General Elections:

AWP- 70.2%  
PAP- 27.0%  
JAC- 2.8%

"Where... where did you get this information?"

Yuuri placed both the documents down. Leo was staring at him skeptically, wringing his hands as he fidgeted uncomfortably on the spot. 

"These statistics are only accessible if you had connections with the Elections Department," the Beta said in a hushed tone. "How did you get your hands on the actual sample counts? How authentic are these numbers?"

"That's not important." Yuuri replied succinctly, sliding his gaze away. "But I can confirm that it is indeed accurate."

Leo frowned. "Yuuri."

Yuuri gathered the sheets of data into a stack with a soft sigh. The Beta reached for it slowly, face twisted into a look of uneasiness.

"Leo." Yuuri said firmly, meeting his eyes dead on. "I'm only telling you this because you're in charge of relaying the codes to the rest."

"I know... and I trust you." Leo muttered. "You won't do anything to put us in danger. We know that well enough, but choosing to hold back secrets in a time like this is unwise."

The Beta paused, waiting for him to speak. Giving him an opportunity to explain himself. From the way he looked at him almost imploringly, to the shifty glances he had been casting at the files every few seconds.

"What if you suddenly disappear one day with no explanation at all? What will we think, Yuuri? What will we _do_?"

Yuuri's frown softened. "It won’t happen," he replied. "But if it ever does, I will always find my way back to the group."

Leo shook his head with a bitter smile. "This is a dangerous game you are playing. I hope you know what you're doing."

* * *

He has been staying up late these nights.

The current reigning party, one of the two parties that consisted mainly of Alphas- Aria Workers' Party- AWP for short, had won the majority vote in the General Elections for five consecutive terms. 

With the dissolution of the parliament every five years- or in simpler words, one term- AWP still managed to clinch the seats by a landslide this term, securing 81 seats out of the 130 available seats.

However, this was a far cry from the 103 seats they managed to occupy the previous term.

Partizan Almavivo Party (PAP), a party that prided themselves for having an equal number of Alpha and Beta candidates snatched 38 seats from their grasp, a startling 11 more seats from the last elections. 

Japan Advent Congress (JAC), another Alpha-majority party that was seen as second best to AWP and simply a shadow of the infamous party, won seats in the parliament for the first time despite having similar ideals with the ruling party. 

The last fact showed that the people were learning to think independently and select their prefecture representatives more carefully. Although two parties may have similar ideals, the people comprising them may be very different in contrast.

Yuuri bit his lip, rubbing circles into his eyes.

He was exhausted, spending night after night going over the new reforms Vincent had promised in his last campaign. 

Breaking them down. Postulating the results of each and every one so that he could deliver aid to the various affected communities before the effects of the reforms became detrimental.

He unlocked his phone, blinking away the numbers that swam in his tired vision. 

By actively seeking out non-profit and non-governmental organisations that were privately funded or otherwise, he managed to mitigate the effects.

Reforms in the education system. In an effort to promote a more “student-centered, values-centric” education, students in all schools will be streamed into secondary gender specific classes. 

Yuuri crushed the sample counts into a tight paper ball, holding it over the flame of a lighted candle. 

Reforms in the tax system. Regressive taxes in place of progressive taxes, to encourage saving and higher earnings instead of punishing people in the higher income bracket. Higher income earners which were mostly Alphas, the secondary gender that Vincent needed support from the most. 

More revenue collected by the government, which will be justified by the increase in government spending on public amenities. 

The flames licked at the edges of the paper and Yuuri hissed, throwing it into the wastebasket as the documents turned to ashes.

An increase in schemes targeted at grooming home-grown industries to promote foreign investment and entrepreneurship but neglected the struggling small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the country. 

Reforms in the Breeding Act. The Ministry of Home Affairs did away with the Custody Transfer Agreement in a bid to reduce administrative complications. Instead, transfer of Omegas' custodies under the Act will be transferred by the officials automatically. 

Yuuri held out his reddening fingers as he read over the reforms in the ghastly Act, planting his forehead onto the table with a groan.

"They learn fast," he couldn't help but mutter, "but the Act reform seals away any illusion of choice that came about with signing the transfer agreement."

It may be a foolish move on their part. But they had no way of knowing that until the arrival of the next elections. 

In the past few years, many Omegas had cheated the system by following in his footsteps. They simply found more innovative ways to exploit the loophole in signing the Custody Transfer Agreement, weaseling their way through the bars of the law. After the reform, the Omegas had no way of escaping from the Act.

Reforms in the voting system. On top of disallowing the unemployed to vote, Omegas under the Breeding Act were no longer allowed to vote. A desperate move by the government to handicap and punish the Omega rebels.

Yuuri pulled off his glasses, cradling the side of his head as his mind raced with restless thoughts. 

"There are non-corrupt members in the parliament. Those that hold less important roles, but still have a hand in the election proceedings." Yuuri closed his eyes. What was he doing? He was monologuing again. This couldn't be healthy. "We need to befriend them somehow."

"You destroyed the sample counts."

Yuuri jumped out of his chair, bracing himself against the table as he turned at the sound of another voice. 

Phichit advanced on him with a large woolen blanket, and he stumbled back in alarm, eyes growing wide as the Beta crossed the room. 

At his bewildered expression, Phichit rose a brow at him. "You really think I wouldn't find out?"

Yuuri glanced at the blanket held by his friend briefly, looking like he had been caught red-handed, in the middle of a traitorous act. He stared at him, but the words wouldn't form, wouldn't come off his tongue.

"I know you've been communicating with another group," Phichit said slowly, sounding relatively calm given the reveal. "We all know you've been keeping secrets to protect us because the group you're aliasing with could be potentially dangerous."

"I..." Yuuri stuttered, reaching up to rub the tiredness out of his eyes because he couldn't quite see straight, "...how did you-"

Then he cuts himself off because he suddenly remembers why, and inwardly chastises himself for trusting Leo with the sample counts.

"You just wanted to protect us." Phichit said with a twinge of guilt, moving to drape the blanket over his shoulders. "I shouldn't have overreacted like that. I'm sorry."

Yuuri breathed out heavily, like the weight of the world had been lifted from his shoulders. He swayed, and Phichit only had a fraction of a second to react, leaping forward to hold him upright before he hit the floor. "Yuuri!"

The Omega groaned, shifting his weight to the side as he turned and Phichit faltered. Both fell onto the bed with a disgruntled heap, and the Beta threw the blanket over his prone form with a frown.

"Sleep." The Beta insisted, pinning him to the bed with his weight. "You need it. All of us know that you've been working yourself to the bone for our sakes."

Yuuri wanted to protest, but the moment his head hit the pillow his thoughts flickered out like a light. "Urgh..."

"It's three in the morning, Yuuri." Phichit muttered. "And I'm going to stay here to make sure you get your rest."

Yuuri caught a movement of the corner of his eye, sliding his eyes shut when his friend turned his gaze back to him. Cautious, tentative.

"Sleep, Yuuri."

Phichit didn't quite trust him fully yet. He may appear to, but the way his eyes danced over to the documents he had been analysing earlier told a completely different story. 

It was sickening to see how the last government coup managed to strike a divide so deep between the members of their close-knit group. 

Yuuri held back a frustrated sigh. He would like to believe the bonds between them weren't as fragile as some made it out to be- but it was difficult, seeing heart-wrenching betrayals tear groups apart mercilessly, over and over till they were one of the few known rebel groups left.

It almost seemed like a matter of time before betrayal came knocking on their door as well.

"Thanks, Phichit." 

The corners of the Phichit's eyes droop downwards, almost sad, and the suspicion fled, but only for a second. "Sleep well... alright?"

Yuuri couldn't fault the Beta's distrust. In fact, if it hadn't been for his highly-strung nature and alertness, they would've been made scraps for the wolves long ago. 

Even if this distrust was directed towards people in the same group.

 _Especially_ if it was directed towards people in the same group.

Their group was still comparatively smaller compared to the other rebel groups, and perhaps that was why they had managed to stay unnoticed under the government's radar for this long. 

But this also meant that they had little power or influence, and securing connections with other groups became all the more important. Phichit had been in charge of negotiations and discussions with these groups, and they had been close to merging with one of the groups under Beyond the Rink. 

Alas, the group contained a government spy. With the cruel betrayal by an internal agent that Friday evening coming as a shock to all who knew the group, it was a grave reminder of how precarious their operations were.

"I..." Yuuri breathed, "...I was going to ask you to follow me when I meet with one of the groups, now that I've confirmed that they can be trusted."

He felt movement on his chest. "So, when?"

"Next Monday."

"I'll stay," Phichit murmured. "I'll stay here and make sure everyone is alright. Leo and Emil can follow you."

Yuuri was silent for a moment. "Alright."

* * *

"You took the wrong turn," Yuuri whispered from behind him, right over his shoulder. "Stop looking around because goddamit Leo, we don't need them to _know_." 

The Beta's knuckles grew white as he clutched the steering wheel, and Yuuri could see beads of sweat trickle down his neck. They had the AC on. It wasn't even hot.

"Calm down." Emil said, but his voice was shaking and his hands were cold, too. The Beta swallowed hard, pulling at his seatbelt. "We'll be fine, we'll be fine-"

The car swerved dangerously, nearing upending the entire vehicle when the wheels squealed against the curb. "Fuck-"

The road was deserted, save for themselves and the car following them some distance behind. In order to reach the rendezvous location- a hotel on the outskirts of the suburbs- they had to pass through a remote road cutting through a heavily forested area. Thankfully, there were rest stops every few kilometres.

"They're still on our tail." Yuuri said as calmly as he could, dragging his eyes away from the black car in the rear view mirror. "We need to shake them off."

Emil swallowed roughly. "T-there's a gas station ahead." 

Yuuri stared out of the window in silence. 

"Make a loop around the station and pull over."

Despite never daring to tear his eyes off the road previously, Leo turned around to look at Yuuri with a look of absolute horror. 

"Are you nuts?" Emil gulped, frantically scrolling through the contacts in his phone. "W-we have to call them and warn them of our deaths-"

"No one is going to die here." Yuuri hissed, but he could feel his heart palpating too fast, hammering bruisingly in his throat. "Trust me."

The Beta bit his lip, turning the wheel abruptly as they skidded around a corner. "Fine, fine alright, I'll pull over. But I don't know how and what you're planning because there's no way we can drop them like this!"

Emil was already dialing Phichit's number. The Beta brought the phone to his ear with trembling fingers, and Yuuri closed his eyes, making a decision he knew he would not regret.

"Drive, Leo." He said, meeting the Beta's eyes in the side mirror with a smile. "We'll be fine, I promise."

It had to have been a good few minutes before they finally lost them. 

"I don't see them anymore." Leo declared loudly, casting an anxious glance backwards. "What do we do now?"

"Good." Yuuri said, leaning forward again, too close, too decisively. "We'll make a call at the station. C'mon, let's go."

Leo slammed on the brakes at his command, skidding to a stop off the road. The cover of night made spotting the black convertible in the bushes virtually impossible, and Yuuri waved them over to the station with hurried steps. 

"Let's go."

"But what can we do?" Emil whined, pulling his hood over his head. "We can't hide out here forever!"

Leo followed suit, pulling his jacket over his head as they ducked into the convenience store at the station. The glare from the artificial lighting stung, and they squinted, momentarily blinded.

"The meeting place is not far from here." Yuuri said as he looked over the map on his phone, doing a double check. "We'll be able to hitch a ride from the gas station from the next car that comes by."

Emil buried his face in his hands, and Leo elbowed the brunette with a scowl. "Stop this, we're going to be fine."

"I have to go relieve myself." Yuuri pointed a thumb at the exit, "I'll be quick."

Leo blinked at him for a moment, in surprise. "Oh, alright. Be careful."

Yuuri moved past him with one last parting smile, resting a hand on his shoulder before he left. The Omega was gone before he could return the half-smile, and Leo frowned, watching his figure disappear around the corner.

An inexplicable sense of uneasiness twisted within him.

"Hey, why must we change cars?" Emil spoke after a minute, gazing at the freezer somberly. "It's weird, isn't it?"

Leo tucked his hands into his coat pockets, sliding his gaze to the Beta slowly. "...what do you mean?"

"I mean, if we've already shaken them off our tracks, we can just wait out here for a while before continuing on our journey." 

Leo sighed, moving his hands about in his coat. "Yuuri probably has his reasons. We'll ask him when he comes back."

Emil paused, stroking the stubbles on his chin with a perplexed frown. "Yeah, I figured but..."

The Beta shifted his weight one foot to another, pacing to and fro nervously. "...but why did he walk to the back?"

Leo froze. He shifted his hands around a bit, then more frantically- and he began to turn out his pockets, shedding off layers of coats as he searched for the very item that he made sure to keep by his side at all times-

"The toilets are at the front."

A pause, a horrifying moment when realisation struck him with lightning speed and accuracy. 

Leo forced himself to breathe, _breathe_ , and Emil couldn't speak, couldn't ask what was wrong- because the moment their eyes met, he knew. Both of them knew.

"He took the keys."

* * *

"Don't you fucking dare!"

A body hurtled into him, and the Omega's eyes widened briefly before they tumbled onto the moist vegetation surrounding the car.

Leo was glaring at him, anger- hurt, and above it all, betrayal.

"I knew it." The Beta gritted out, fisting the soil by his shoulder. "I fucking knew you'd attempt something like this. Have you not learned your lesson? Have you not learned anything?!"

He should've seen the signs, should've known that the Omega was going to attempt something so, so stupid, but they didn't allow Omegas to take driving lessons anymore. Unless. Unless someone else taught him to-

Yuuri didn't say anything, lying in the grime and dirt and looking worse for wear now that their faces were streaked with mud- and the Beta was inclined to think for a moment that perhaps, just maybe, he had snapped back to his senses. 

Phichit. Yuuri must have been learning to drive under him all this time. 

"I-no, _we_ are not going to let you throw yourself away again," Leo hissed. "We're not going to fucking lose you again, don't you remember what happened four years ago?"

Yuuri stared at him with his eyes vacant, so very, very different from how they used to be, and Leo only felt the anger in him grow.

"Are you listening?" Leo said again, louder now, and they could hear branches snapping from behind them, coming closer with each second gone to waste. Emil was coming. "Yuuri, you don't have t-"

In one swift motion, the Omega flipped him onto his back, throwing him off with a practiced ease that he should've expected. It was an odd sort of maneuver, and Yuuri had tossed him onto the ground like he weighed nothing at all, displaying a strength that even the Beta forgot he possessed. 

He held him pinned to the ground for a moment, staring at him with brown eyes soft with a smidgen of sadness, and Leo felt his throat tighten.

"Go." Yuuri said, holding him down with a gentleness that screamed- no, I'm sorry, I must do this- and the Beta let out an angry cry, letting the leaves nestle his cheeks as he turned his face away. "Take Emil, and meet with them in my place. You're important to us."

He knew what he alluding to, knew that the Omega was praising him for his skill, but he didn't want to hear it, not when the words meant nothing now.

_You always wanted him to acknowledge your skills._

Not like this, not like _this_.

"I know my way around these parts better than you. I can lead them away because I did most of the research."

Emil, where was he-

"Thumb down a car after I leave. Remember, Ritz-Cartel Hotel, Basement 2, Seminar room 3." 

Yuuri smiled at him softly. "This is an extremely important meeting. Our future could hinge on the success of this rendezvous."

Government spies were after them. The black car began tailing them some time after they turned out of the expressway, no doubt aiming to intercept them before the meeting could take place. 

The information was leaked somehow. They must have been careless.

"I'll see you later." 

The Omega closed the keys into a fist, releasing his hold on him- and Leo leaped up, pulling him back into the dirt with a forceful tug. "Don't," he choked, "don't do this."

Yuuri cast him one last bitter smile, slamming his arm into the side of his head. The Beta fell to the side limply and he wrenched his arm away easily, reluctantly, _remosefully_ , picked himself off the earth and ran.

He didn't turn back.

* * *

Yuuri turned the keys in the ignition, swinging the door shut. Locking all the doors, he slammed on the pedal, reversing out of the foliage and their hiding spot- shifted the gear and rammed his foot forward- and the car accelerated down the road.

Only when he was sure that they were safely behind, _safe_ from the car, did he allow his hair to fall back over his eyes, messy from their tussle earlier.

His hands were shaking, clammy and sweaty as he rested his forehead against the wheel, drawing in a shuddering breath.

He knew that they didn't lose the car tailing them. There was no hope of losing them, not when he already knew of the agents' modus operandi from the other groups long before this meeting was planned.

The government agents would tail them for a while, and the groups would try to shake them off like they always did- and always successfully, or so they thought- until the agents sprang out at them somewhere down the road.

Sometimes, it was a fatal crash, made to seem like an accident. Other times, the groups will simply disappear, and their disappearances could be easily explained away. Travelling in a remote area at night, no less- no one would bat an eye- they should've expected a risk as great as that.

But every single time, none managed to escape.

Before Yuuri was fully aware of it, a tear slid down his cheek, and he bit the inside of his cheek in a sudden rush of irrational anger. 

'What is this?' He thinks angrily, incensed with the fact that he was _crying_ in this situation, of all things. He chose to do it. He knew of the consequences better than anyone else.

_"I trust you to return safely." Phichit said with a stern frown, "don't keep us waiting too long."_

Phichit, _Phichit_. 

Deep down, he was afraid. But he refused to acknowledge it, refused to believe that he was still so human, so weak.

_"You've changed."_

I'm sorry.

He had tried so hard to remain strong these years, fighting through sweat and tears. Appearing strong for his team. For himself. 

But it wasn't enough. He wasn't strong enough.

Yuuri clenched his teeth, pushing down the ugly emotions with a wavering resolve. Phichit was wrong. Some things never did change, even with the passage of time.

The importance of this meeting and the weight of his friends' lives were more valuable than anything else. If he had to give up his life for their safety, he would do so in heartbeat.

A flash of light reflected off black metal, and Yuuri raised his eyes from the steering wheel to the side view mirror, blinking away his tears.

There it was, the black Honda Civic that had been following them for the past two hours. It was accelerating, closing the distance between them with frightening speed. He could hardly make out the occupants of the car in the poor lighting. 

But there was hope. 

The next rest stop was about a hundred miles away, and if he could make it there unscathed, he would be safe. The government wouldn't dare to pursue him in such a tourist populated area filled with late-night pubs and hotels.

They could've driven there, but Yuuri knew that their chances of success were slim. The agents would have intercepted them even before they could reach it, no doubt about it. 

The possibility of escape was slim.

But he had to try. 

Yuuri deliberately slowed, and the car behind him copied his movements. 

Why weren't they overtaking him? 

He figured that they would try to get ahead of him in order to block his path, but they were moving at the same pace as him. Almost as if they were keeping their distance.

This... this wasn't right. 

They were travelling along a single carriageway, but he hadn't seen any cars travelling in the opposite direction. The agents could easily turn into the next lane and overtake him, but they didn't turn, didn't move to do anything at all. 

Yuuri held his breath as watched the Honda Civic slow again through the rear view mirror. 

Calm down. Breathe. Don't take his eyes off the road. All was not lost, there was still hope. Maybe he could-

The sharp screech of tires assaulted his ears, and he jerked upright, turning behind to see that the Honda Civic had come to an abrupt stop. 

What, he thinks; and barely has time to wonder _why_ before _another_ car comes hurtling down the road and towards him at breakneck speed.

The distant hum of a motor was the only warning he was given, and the suddenly his vision was washed over in a searing white.

The sudden glare from the high beam had blinded him. 

Yuuri jerked to the side with a pained cry, releasing a hand to shield his eyes- and suddenly he couldn't hear his heart anymore, couldn't hear anything above the ringing in his ears. 

And that's when he realises why, why, _why_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Three blind mice, three blind mice,_
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> _See how they run, see how they run,_
> 
>  
> 
> _They all fled from the farmer's wife,_
> 
>  
> 
> _But one led a life full of strife,_
> 
>  
> 
> _Did you ever see such a thing in your life,_
> 
>  
> 
>  _As two blind mice?_  
>  \---  
> How dare I? How dare I.  
> Notes: Beyond the Rink is the charity organisation mentioned in chapter 12.  
> Yuuri and Phichit were talking in code (a different one from the last chapter) at the start.  
>  
> 
> **Story Segments:**
> 
>  
> 
>  **1st segment:**  
>  Prologue (Chapters 1-5)  
> University Arc (Chapters 6-11)
> 
> [Time skip] 
> 
> **2nd segment:** _(Middlegame)_  
>  Union Arc (We are here) (Chapters 14-20)  
> Uprising Arc
> 
>  **3rd segment:** _(Endgame)_  
>  1st Election Arc [Chapter: Checkmate]  
> 1st Re-Election Arc [Chapter: Stalemate]
> 
>  **4th segment:** _(Non-Zero-Sum Game)_  
>  2nd Re-Election Arc [Chapter: Modus Vivendi]  
>  **Finale**


	15. Of Queens, Kings, and Vibrant Dreams

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait, I was feeling slightly burnt-out.

What an odd dream.

What an odd dream, because he couldn't possibly be sitting in an unmarked alcove, tucked away in a dimly lit warehouse at this hour.

He stared at his hands. They were clean, absolutely spotless in the halogen lights. White, like the checkered squares on the chessboard set on the marble table before him. 

"Yuuri." 

He tucked his hands between his legs, drawing in a deep breath. 

"It's your turn, now."

A clack, a sound so familiar to experienced players. His eyes flickered up to meet blue pools, and the edges of the Alpha's lips twitched into a sultry smile. 

"What will you do?"

Nothing. Absolutely nothing. 

The Alpha's face fell, impatience seeping into his sugary sweet mask. 

"Come now, you're holding up the game."

Prolonging the inevitable.

Why was he here?

"This is unfair." Yuuri chose to say instead, shifting his stare away. "I refuse to continue."

His voice was hollow. The Alpha watched him for a long moment, sussing him out with the slitted gaze of a seasoned predator.

"Oh?" He finally responded, stroking the glass head of the black pawn with a finger. "And why exactly do you find it so unfair?"

Yuuri turned his attention back to the game. His pawn sat dangerously close to the Alpha's queen, and in a rash move of indecision, his opponent had chosen to corner his king by eliminating his only defending piece.

The last time he remembered playing chess was with Mari, before his college days. 

The pawns. The rooks, the bishops, the knights. The queen, and the king.

"They all have fixed roles," Yuuri said softly. "Omegas, Betas, and Alphas. We are made to believe that our purpose is predetermined from birth."

Another clack. His opponent placed his queen on the board too harshly, nestling it within one of the tiny monochrome squares. 

"Alphas. The knights, the bishops, the rooks. The benevolent Alphas, the hostile Alphas, and those stuck somewhere between. The chivalrous, the pompous, and the impartial."

Yuuri looked up from the board, and his opponent captured his wandering gaze with a smirk. 

"The Betas," the Alpha continued, "the most common gender, and the most populous piece on the board. To even out the disparities between the other two genders, and to set the standard of normality." 

Yuuri blinked, and his opponent's expression grew darker. A tad bit more conniving. 

"The..." Yuuri breathed, refocusing on the stack of chess pieces by his side. "...the Queen. They are-"

"-the Omegas." The Alpha finished for him, curling his fingers around the head of his queen. "The most powerful, influential piece. A diamond in the rough. A gem among jewels."

Yuuri frowned. "That's not right." He began to say, unnerved by the Alpha's reply. "That's not true. Omegas are treated as no more worth than the dirt beneath your feet."

"Is that true?" His opponent hummed, holding the glass figure up to the light. It glinted, and he appraised it almost contemplatively, rotating it at various angles. "Queens exist to complement the kings, wouldn't you agree?"

Yuuri bit his lip. "The king is..."

The Alpha smiled at him, and he couldn't remember if he had always looked this cruel. "That's fairly obvious, wouldn't you agree?"

The growing stack of pieces by his side. He, the black. His opponent, the white. The lines of the chessboard, striking deep chasms between the individual pieces. 

Bodies. The bodies that piled up as this war continued, a struggle between two groups. One too desperate for power, the other, too desperate for equality. 

"But that's only your truth." 

His voice bounced off the walls, and he couldn't help but feel small, insignificant in the face of his enemy. 

"Your king. The Alpha, the leader of the country. The queen, his loyal subject, his trump card." Yuuri said quietly. "You, who has infinite potential, squandered to waste. The path you chose, all because you forget that no matter what you do or how hard you try-"

His opponent stared at him. The next words were muttered with a dash of scorn.

"-you can never be the king."

A deep chuckle rumbled from the Alpha's throat. "Now, what does that make you?"

Yuuri slid his gaze to him. "To you, the Omegas are pawns," he murmured. "Sacrificial pieces, stepping stones to further your conquest. Stupid, fallible soldiers that should know their lowly rank."

But they weren't just pawns. They were knights, rooks, kings, and everything in between. 

He broke off abruptly, suddenly unsure of why he was here, explaining the workings of his mind to a mere figment of his imagination. 

"And in the wake of their ashes, a country will flourish from ruin." The Alpha completed as an afterthought, running his finger down the side of the board. "A sacrifice for the greater good."

The queens, the kings. Different truths told from different perspectives and visions. The many facets of a story. A perfect fairytale spun by many minds, all leading to imperfect endings.

"I do wonder, who is your king?"

The king. A loathsome, corpulent fellow, sitting above the rest on his throne of fallen soldiers. 

He looked up then, noting the cold smile on the other's face. Fitting for a heartless ruler, appropriate for the myriad of lives he had dashed in his quest for avarice.

_Not you._

"Not you." Yuuri frowned, gripping the table tightly. "Definitely not you."

His smile cracked. 

"The king might pretend that they value the queen above everything else," Yuuri glared, baleful for all its worth. "But in the end, she is just like the rest. Disposable, fleeting."

"Just like Omegas," his opponent said darkly. "Just like-"

Yuuri breathed in sharply. A shuffle, and suddenly the Alpha was no longer in sight. A hand brushed against his neck tenderly, and he jolted in his seat with a startled cry.

"Just like _you_ ," the Alpha breathed, right into his ear. "But you and I both know that a pawn is more powerful than what meets the eye."

With the ghost of his breath lingering heavily on his skin, Yuuri froze as the hand tucked a stray strand of hair behind his ear. 

"Once a pawn reaches the eighth rank, they can be promoted."

Everyone knew the rules. Once a pawn reached the other side of the board, they could be replaced with a stronger piece.

"So, which do you fancy?" The Alpha's words were slick, coating his ears with venom and sordid lies. "The estranged bishop? The neutral rook? Or maybe the shining knight?"

He couldn't speak. His vocal chords were paralysed. 

"Right, you choose the queen. A wise choice, perhaps even the best of choices." 

He could hear the smile in his voice as he was turned around by his shoulders. The Alpha's eyes roamed across his body hungrily, and Yuuri felt a shot of cold fear. 

His neck throbbed angrily, and he flinched back, hit with the realisation that this dream was lasting far too long, becoming far too real.

His opponent released his hold on him. Yuuri threw himself away from the Alpha, feeling his limbs grow soft with an ache. A very real, agonizing pain, seeping into his skin like liquid poison. 

Blood. Trickling down the walls from the floor above them, dying the edges of the ceiling a brilliant crimson. His face felt damp.

This wasn't real.

The Alpha watched him impassively. "Won't you be my queen?"

_Won't you be my mate?_

He ran. Bolted to the exit, scratching and clawing at the only door in the room. The liquid at his feet impeded his movements, sloshing around his knees, swallowing his struggles like quicksand. 

Turning, he was met with a vacant stare. He was looking straight at him, no. Rather, right through him. 

"Sorry."

And he was struck dumb at seeing the profound emotion in his eyes, replicating the depths of the ocean.

Yuuri's knees buckled beneath him. 

But he didn't make a single move to touch him. The Alpha seemed almost afraid to, a complete turn from before. 

Fresh were the stains on his shirt collar. Velvet were his hands, painted with streaks of messy red, like a spilled palette on a blank canvas. 

The Alpha loomed over him, but the terror uncoiling in his chest eroded away the moment he laid eyes on him. 

He looked horrified. 

He turned to the forgotten chessboard. Now spilled across the floor in his haste to leave, the pieces lay shattered like a thousand dashed dreams.

The Alpha followed his gaze after a heartbeat. 

"I'm still the king," he said shakily. "And you'll be my queen."

The white queen lay in two halves just out of his reach, cracked right down the middle. 

"You broke me, Victor." Yuuri said in a whisper. The Alpha was simply a fabrication of his own consciousness. Nothing more, nothing less. "And I trusted you."

Regret. Remorse. He hadn't seen him make such a face before. So why was it etched so clearly on his visage now, with raw emotions bleeding so dry in his somber frown?

The Alpha looked shaken. "I will be the king."

The truth. It was his own truth.

"Then I am a knight," Yuuri replied in kind. "The one to bring him to his demise."

* * *

He woke up in cold sweat. 

A searing jolt shot up his left arm as he tried to move, keeping him grounded to the sheets with a pained cry. The air rushed out of his lungs, and he squeezed his eyes shut as a gripping wave of pain washed over him. 

His torso was immobilised, and for a frightening moment he was afraid that he might not be able to move his legs. His left arm was clearly broken. Or fractured, given that it was angled appropriately on the elevated pillow beside him. 

Alive. He was _alive_.

His head spun, and he fell back onto the sheets with a heavy groan. 

_The accident._

Yuuri sucked in a breath, digging his nails into the linen. _Leo, Emil, the government-_

A name rang in his head, as clear as church bells on a Sunday morning. An old, forgotten wound throbbed in response, and he hissed, slapping a hand to his neck. 

Why on earth did he dream of him? 

"Is anyone in there?"

The call shattered his thoughts. He held back his wince, turning to the door. A female voice. 

"Hello?"

 _Yes_ , he wanted to say, but thought better of it when he realised the state he was in. Sitting himself up with great difficulty, he swung his legs to the side of the bed through gritted teeth.

If the stuffy air conditioning and tacky wallpaper were of any indication, he must be in a motel room of some sort. 

He had absolutely no idea if he was in danger. The last he remembered was the car swerving out of control, nose-diving into the bushes by the road before the oncoming car crashed into the side of the bonnet. 

He was still alive. But he didn't know, couldn't say the same for the two Betas he had left behind. 

A pause, a note of hesitance as the person on the other side appeared to think things over. "Hey, hey! Is anyone in there...?"

Yuuri's breath hitched in his throat. He took in the image of himself in the mirror above the dressing table, bracing himself on the surface.

A wide, fresh gash on his forehead. His hair was matted down all the way to the back of his head where his scalp felt sensitive to touch. He must have been bleeding profusely from his injuries, and his light-headedness could be attributed to his blood loss.

It must have been at least a day since the accident. No, it was not an accident. It was all planned, and god forbid if he was alive just to find himself a hostage. 

They could even be on the other side of the door. But it made no sense for his captor to be absent, or in this case, locked out of the room.

He tried the knob. The door opened easily, and the petite lady outside flinched, drawing away from the threshold. "Woah, careful-"

Yuuri blinked tiredly at her, and the lady's eyes widened when she saw him. She was an Alpha. A Beta hung off her shoulders, and the heady smell of alcohol stifled his senses. 

Both were drunk. They must have been looking for an empty room, and stumbled upon his by mere coincidence.

"Woah-"

"Where am I?" Yuuri cut her off, shaking her shoulder with his one good arm. "Please, where am I?"

She paused, closing her mouth as she looked him over with a startled expression. "What are you talking about?" she slurred with a scowl, "you too drunk or somethin'?"

"I was in an accident," Yuuri repeated slowly, keeping his voice steady. "I may be kidnapped. My friends are in trouble, and I don't know where my phone is-"

His desperation must have shown, and the lady hesitated. Doubt bloomed on her features, and Yuuri faltered, half-afraid that she was going to leave. He knew that look. He was trouble, and he was sure that the lady knew that too.

The lady simply shook her head, and despair sank to the pits of his stomach like an anchor. He tried again. "Please-"

"Look, I-I can't help you." The lady said with a hiccup and a groggy frown. "But maybe the guy at the front desk can."

Yuuri shook his head, brushing past the Beta. He made sure to maneuver the halls gingerly, treading down the decrepit looking stairwell as quiet as a mouse. 

The Alpha at the front desk shot him a quizzical look as he approached. "Ah yes, there you are."

"Who brought me here?" Yuuri demanded, clutching the tattered remains of his bloody shirt to his chest in an effort to retain some dignity. "Who carried me to the room?"

The Alpha- and a foreigner by the looks of it- replaced the receiver of the phone with a bemused look. 

"You must have seen them," Yuuri said, with more urgency now. "My belongings are missing and I have no way of contacting anyone."

The Alpha gave him another once-over, scrunching his nose in distaste. "You're not doing drugs, are you? Because that would explain-"

"I was in an accident." Yuuri reiterated softly, his voice growing shaky at the end. He can't quite remember it now. Was it all a dream, too? "My left arm is probably broken."

He was blessed with another dubious look. No one would believe him. Where was he?

"Well, it's said here that you've paid for your room." The Alpha said slowly, indifferent to his distress. "But if you would please return the room key, you're good to go."

Yuuri watched on in mild disbelief as the Alpha gave him another blank stare, turning back to his computer with not a single care in the world.

He bit his lip. "How could you be so heartless?"

The receptionist looked mildly surprised at his sudden exclamation. 

"Look." The Alpha said with a heavy sigh, "I would like to help you out, but this isn't in my capacity right now. A group of people just booked in and I'm up to my neck in work."

Yuuri simply rubbed at his eyes, dragging his feet to the lounge area. It was packed with people. A gander at the sliding doors marking the exit informed him that it was nighttime. 

His phone was missing, as was his wallet. All of his belongings were not found on him, nor were they in the room he had awoken in.

"Hey. Um, wait up." 

The receptionist was staring at his back, looking just the slightest bit guilty. "There's a hospital a mile from here. Just a note."

Yuuri regarded him for a moment. "Thank you," he said, but he knew his eyes were unkind. "Can I use the phone?"

The Alpha hesitated then, and Yuuri knew. He gave him one last smile, laced with bitterness before he left.

Without another word he meandered to the exit, keeping away from the throng of people crowded at the centre of the room. Keeping his injured arm shielded from prying eyes, he limped to the door.

Party-goers. From the looks of it, the person that had saved him found fit to leave him in the raunchiest part of the neighbourhood.

They ignored him, every single one of them. He was a bloody mess, stalking through the room like a pathetic mongrel in a hit-and-run. 

Yet no one offered him a hand. 

Yuuri left the motel with a shudder, and his shoulders seized up briefly, letting a helpless sob escape for the first time that night. 

"Hey, hey." The voice was gentle. Another lady was standing at his side, wavering slightly on her high heels. But she wasn't drunk. Yuuri wiped at his face with the back of his hand, hoping to regain some semblance of decency. "Do you need an ambulance? You look terrible."

The lady was in her mid-twenties. Shoulder length black hair, cherry red lips, and sparkling blue eyes. Meeting her gaze was a difficult affair.

He couldn't find the words to say. So he simply nodded his head, and the lady seemed to understand right away. She fished out a phone from her bag, handing it to him with a soft smile.

"I'm sure you have someone you need to call."

Yuuri took the phone from her, staring at the lighted screen in a moment of dumbfounded shock. But he doesn't waste any time. Keying in the number he had memorised by heart, he held it up to his ear with a shaky exhale.

"Hello? Oh my god, god. Wait, oh god."

There was static, but he could hear his friend's voice clearly, all the same. "Phichit."

"It's really you." A stammer on the other end, coupled with a series of sniffles and yells. "Yuuri oh god, you're alive."

Yuuri closed his eyes, throwing his head backwards. The sky was absent of stars, clustered with clouds which presaged a storm. 

"Thank god, we thought you were dead, they saw the wreck and thought for sure that-" A pause, and he heard a choked sob. "-you were dead. We thought you were dead, Yuuri."

He lowered himself onto the curb, legs too shaky to keep him standing. They saw the car wreck. The two of them were safe and sound. 

"They're okay." Phichit sniffed, "they made it out of the woods, but they saw the crash and they knew they couldn't continue."

Yuuri rested a hand against his forehead, being careful not to jostle his broken arm as he let the piece of information sink in. The lady shifted by his side, watching him in silence. "I... I see."

"I hope everything is alright." She said with a twinge of sympathy, after he returned the device. "You seem awfully concerned."

Yuuri offered her a strained smile. "I've been better."

The lady laughed in good humour, and Yuuri took the time to analyse his unexpected saviour. "You're an Omega." 

"So I am." She replied with a smile. "How impressive, not many can tell."

"That makes the both of us," Yuuri said with a dry chuckle. Her eyes shine peculiarly, and she followed his gaze, looking to the sky. 

A shadow enveloped him, sheltering him from the light drizzle that just began to fall. An umbrella was held above his head. 

The lady smiled kindly. "We really should get out of the rain."

* * *

"Hey, Yurio." 

The Alpha glanced up from his work, looking rather surprised. It's the first time he had addressed him directly like this, after all. 

Phichit hesitated, fiddling with the edges of the file in his hands. "Do you think they knew who was in the car?"

Yurio stared at him for a moment. 

"I mean." The Beta said slowly, shifting his gaze to the receiver. "It's possible, isn't it? That they tracked him all the way."

The Alpha marched across the room, throwing himself into a chair with an angry sigh. "Are you seriously suggesting that-"

"I'm suggesting that he might be in far more danger than we thought," Phichit hissed. "I'm done with suspecting each other, and Yuuri will never throw us to the wolves like that."

Yurio turned away with a short bark of laughter. "It took you this long."

Phichit blinked in confusion. 

"Yuuri will never do something like that," Yurio said steadily. "And if it took you this long to realise that I was mad at him not because of his potential betrayal, but because of his lack of self-conservation..."

The Alpha pinned the Beta with a passive glare. "...then it's possible that you never knew him at all."

Phichit looked crushed. "I-"

"But I understand," Yurio growled, running a hand through his fringe. "I understand why Yuuri chooses to keep you around, despite everything."

"You keep us safe, and that's his greatest wish." 

The Alpha shot him a small, sardonic smile. "I'm sure you know that too."

The Beta lowered his gaze. "I was... afraid."

"So was I." Yurio didn't meet his gaze. "I was afraid for him."

Phichit watched him for a long moment. "Then why didn't you follow him?"

Yurio scoffed lightly. A mocking laugh, a cynical side glance. The Beta shifted uncomfortably. "What?"

"Who do you think he trusts more?" Yurio replied, eyes dark with apathy. The Beta's face shrouded over as the Alpha reclined back in his chair with an empty smile. "You, or me?"

* * *

The bowl of ramen was piping hot. They were seated in a small restaurant, and the lady had insisted on her treat after a visit to the clinic. 

Yuuri balanced his cast off the corner of the table. The sling was heavy on his neck. The other Omega was drinking a milkshake, teething the straw between sips.

He cleared his throat awkwardly. "I can't accept any more than this," he began, eyeing the bowl with a swallow, "you're already too kind."

The lady shrugged. "Aren't you hungry?"

He was. He was hungry and exhausted, and now that he knew of the whereabouts of his friends, he felt almost drained. 

Just as he was about to reply, his stomach grumbled in protest. Red suffused his cheeks, and the lady raised a brow knowingly. Sighing, he finally obliged, and picked the chopsticks off the side with an embarrassed grimace. 

He needed to replenish his energy somehow.

"So, what do you think of the latest election results?"

Yuuri paused, chopsticks hovering halfway to his mouth. The lady tilted her head to the side, batting her lashes at him innocuously. 

"What's your name?" He said wearily, half-tired of all the niceties. If she dabbled in political matters, she should know of him. 

The lady pushed her milkshake to the side with a laugh. "Now, that's not very polite. You haven't even introduced yourself yet."

"But that's not a typical conversation starter." Yuuri shot back, resting the chopsticks on the bowl. His appetite had fled. Her lips quirked upwards. 

"Alright then, tell me." She said, inclining her head to the side, "how do you feel about Victor?"

His fingers slipped, and the cup of tea clattered to the floor. 

She smiled at him. Foxy and sly, with her painted nails scratching lines in the rim of her glass cup. "Victor Nikiforov." She clarified, in case he had somehow misunderstood. "Current Minister for Trade and Industry."

_And Deputy Prime Minister._

Yuuri shifted to avoid the tea pooling at his feet. "He's well known," he agreed, biting down on his lower lip. 

She shrugged again. "You should know." 

A frown skittered across his forehead, before he smoothened it out with an indulgent smile. "I'm afraid I don't quite understand."

She watched him carefully. With eyes of a hawk, picking him apart with a detailed precision that rang so familiar in his mind.

But she was an Omega. Not him. Never him.

Yuuri picked the cup off the floor, returning it to the table. It clacked against the surface, and he flinched, remembering the actual reason why he hated chess.

"You know, there's an anti-AWP blog going around." The lady twirled her straw around her finger, playing with him in kind. "I heard that the moderators are planning something."

She smiled. "It's such a bold move. The government will flip a lid."

The doorbell tinkled, and a couple entered the restaurant. A female Omega and a male Alpha, and both undergraduates by their scent. 

"Oh?" Yuuri muttered dismissively, directing his stare to the couple behind the lady. "Yeah, I've heard about it."

Something was off.

The lady glanced over her shoulder, shooting him a curious look after. "What's wrong?"

The Alpha left the Omega after a moment, and the younger of the two shifted skittishly in her seat, chancing furtive glances at his retreating figure. 

Yuuri shook his head, tearing his eyes away from the fidgety Omega. He had seen this many times before. A flighty Omega with an overbearing Alpha. The former, not quite content with their circumstances.

"It's nothing new, right?" The lady remarked, completing his thoughts with a shrug. "It's sad. The Breeding Act is still in place, after all."

The young girl twitched in his seat, fiddling with the straps on her bag with an odd sort of nervous energy. A paper packet was procured from its confines within a minute. 

"...well, the AWP won the elections again and..."

Yuuri squinted. He tuned out the voice of the Omega across from him, a dreaded feeling churning in his gut as he watched the young freshman tear open the packet with shaky hands.

"...hey, are you listening?"

The Alpha reemerged from the toilet not a second later, and the Omega shoved the evidence away, greeting her partner with a smile. A grim smile, and in that moment it appeared as though he was the only one who could see it.

Yuuri's eyes widened. 

"Hey." A hand rested on his own, snapping him back to the present. The lady was watching him worriedly. "Are you alright?"

The Alpha laughed, and the pair appeared to be engaged in a casual conversation of sorts. Sitting in a run-of-the-mill restaurant with dingy lighting and mediocre food. The setting almost seemed too perfect.

Hit by a thought, he looked around wildly. The lady frowned, following his gaze with a smidgen of annoyance. 

There weren't any security cameras. 

The female Omega across from him scowled. "Hey-"

Yuuri stood abruptly. The Alpha held the drink to his lips, tilting back his head- 

"Stop!"

Too late. The Alpha had already downed the first sip, and the loud exclamation had him slamming the glass back onto the table with rusty coughs. 

The Omega looked up at him as Yuuri approached. Her face was stricken with fear, but as quick as it came the telling emotion fled, and it was replaced with a shine of wonder. 

A beam of admiration.

Before he could say anything, the Alpha began convulsing. He was on the floor in seconds, pale and unmoving, and Yuuri could only look at the Omega in shock. 

"Call the ambulance." Yuuri hissed, and the lady was quick to do so, standing from her seat with a horrified gasp. "Quick!"

The young Omega's eyes widened, and she pounced at his arm with a stammer. "W-wait, it's you! Why are you saving him?"

Yuuri hesitated, too startled to shake off the flustered girl who had his arm in a death grip.

"Why are you saving him?" The girl repeated, with angry tears brimming in her eyes. "You're supposed to be on our side! He's an Alpha!"

And it was with this very mention which brought something heinous to light, an idea so twisted and foul that the thought of it stole his breath away.

"You poisoned him," Yuuri stated plainly, still visibly shaken by the notion. "You killed him, just because-"

"He's been nothing but horrible to me!" the Omega shrieked, "you have no idea how much I suffered, how much I craved to be rid of him!"

He was speechless. The police would be arriving soon.

Yuuri felt his vision waver. The Omega by his side only tightened the hold on his arm. "You understand, don't you? He deserved it!"

She was almost hysterical, now.

The packet of cyanide lay forgotten on the seat, traces of its powdery contents spread all across the cracked leather.

"You promised to protect us Omegas!" She cried, desperation from the way she gripped his arm, to her quivering lips. "S-so why are you helping him? Why are you _saving_ him?"

Conflict. He was stricken with a horrifying sense of obligation, a realisation that he had incited this somehow, by means of his influence. 

"I never..." Yuuri whispered, too stunned to formulate words properly, "...I never wanted this."

The Omega frowned shakily. "Of course you did," she said with a confused smile, "you understand best, don't you? How liberating it is to be free from an Alpha."

His name and face were well-known. Word had spread like wildfire, and many Omegas had followed in his footsteps in hopes that they could cheat the system just like he had. 

His companion had gone quiet. She was watching the exchange, fully content with keeping to the sidelines. 

It was possible that he had been setting a poor example all these years. 

" _Please_." The girl wailed, half-sobbing into the tablecloth. A pitiable sight, and his heart broke at witnessing it. "This can't go on."

She sniffed, and his eyes stung.

"If we don't fight back, generations will live to regret it."

The elections. The election results had broken the spirits of many Omegas across the country. AWP was in for another term, and while hopes were high for a while- stirred by rebel groups through lucrative means- the result was the same in the end.

_Why didn't you contest?_

He could hear the question in her eyes. 

_Why do you still choose to stay hidden?_

Yuuri pulled away then, hit by a sudden sense of vertigo. The bile rose to his throat, and his legs had carried him out of the door before he was brought to his knees.

_You could have done something._

He wiped away the bitter aftertaste on his lips shakily, hunched over the drain by the curb as he emptied the contents of his stomach once again. 

But he couldn't have contested. While he was of age, the AWP came on very strong in the last elections, even forcibly so, and revealing himself as a political opponent just to have them win the elections would be alike assigning himself a death sentence. 

His companion had followed him out. The female Omega was appraising him somberly, holding out a napkin for him to take. He could see the worry in her eyes.

"I-I should have done more." He bit out, fully aware that the words spilling from his lips were not directed at the murder he had just been witness to. "I could have done something." 

Her eyes softened.

"It's common around these parts." She supplied with a sad smile, as if it was any form of consolation. "Omegas retaliating against their Alphas. Being convicted of attempted murder."

"It's sick," Yuuri bit out. "I can't believe they made us resort to these methods."

"It just shows how cornered we feel." 

Yuuri chuckled bitterly. "To the extent of committing a crime. To scorn their lives under the Act so much that they are willing to throw away a good portion of it, just for respite?"

He closed his eyes. "I'm partly responsible for all of this."

She sat down beside him. "You couldn't have contested. It wasn't a wise move, regardless."

"I could've signed as an independent," Yuuri griped. "Maybe I could've gotten a seat in parliament, even one-"

_So that they wouldn't lose hope._

"You couldn't." She replied. "They got rid of single member constituencies. You can't register as a candidate unless you join an existing party."

Not a chance. None of the existing parties had similar views to his own. The closest was the Partizan Almavivo Party, but even as a green party, they put the environment above all else. But it shouldn't be the focus, not with the current political conditions.

Yuuri covered his face with his hands, breathing in deeply. "I should start my own," he muttered, and the lady went quiet. "I shouldn't have been so frightened to try."

Her frown dissolved, and a wistful smile touched her lips. A mutter, transient like a beautiful whirlwind. "You're a really kind person."

Yuuri looked up with a blink. The lady was standing on her feet, holding out a hand for him to take.

"Name's Isabella Yang," she added with a soft smile. "What's yours?"

Yuuri took the proferred hand shakily. 

"Y-Yuuri. Katsuki Yuuri."

* * *

Phichit broke into a chuckle. "How childish."

The Alpha's eyes flashed. 

"What is this, a contest of favour?" 

"It is but a legitimate question," Yurio spat unkindly. "One that you fear the answer to."

The Beta scowled fiercely. The air grew starchy, and it became difficult to breathe.

"The truth is that Yuuri doesn't trust you." The blond continued with narrowed eyes, "if something happens to him, I would take his place. Leaving me here with you justifies that fact."

"In that case, he would have brought me along to the meeting," Phichit countered. "Why would he leave me here if he trusts you to be alone with the documents?"

The Alpha rose from his seat with clenched fists, and he met his gaze in a heated confrontation of sorts. 

"Don't you dare-"

"No, don't _you_ dare." The Beta interjected, narrowing his glare. "Yuuri needs our help and you choose now, of all times, to squabble over such trivial matters?"

Yurio bit his lip, averting his gaze. "You started it."

The Beta raised a brow at the sulking Alpha. His lips tipped upwards in the beginnings of a smirk. "As I said before, how childish."

Yurio threw him an acrid glare, and the Beta met it challengingly. The air grew thick with tension, and for a second it seemed like a perfect set up for a consternation. 

Neither of them moved a muscle.

Then the Alpha stuck out his tongue in an utterly petulant gesture, and the moment was broken.

Phichit rolled his eyes. "Let's go pick him up."

* * *

C.O.P.I.R

Central Organisation for Protection of Individual Rights. 

R.I.P.O.C

Rebel Intelligence for Prevention of Oppression and Corruption.

An underground organisation formed by the largest of rebel groups, headed by a figure who kept their identity a careful secret. 

"Thank you for arranging another meeting."

Yuuri bowed low, face flushing in embarrassment. His friends flanked his sides, mirroring the positions of the Betas they were meeting with for the first time. 

The organisation sent five representatives to meet with them in Akihabara. Packed in an electronics store, the buzz of traffic and city-goers created a great cover for the meeting.

"We had an accident-"

"We heard." A Beta laughed, breaking the tense atmosphere. "Well, it can't be helped; and we aren't unreasonable people."

Phichit raised a brow. "Then why did you organise the meeting place to be so far from our base initially?"

Uneasy laughter flooded the compound. 

"A test." Yuuri replied for them, avoiding their eyes. He had figured it out. "They knew that the agents would come after us. And if we were inadequate, we wouldn't have made it."

Yurio cracked his knuckles. "You fuckers-"

Yuuri stopped him with an outstretched arm. "It's alright, it's understandable that they were cautious."

The Alpha looked at him flatly. "You almost died." 

"We apologise," The Beta said kindly. "We never meant to create any animosity. But you appear to be good people, so we are glad that you've survived."

Indifference. The representatives sent to meet them were apathetic, gazes calculating and cold. Only after meeting them in person did Yuuri truly realise how they had managed to thrive in such an oppressive political climate for this long.

In order to be part of them, you had to speak their lingo. Leave all your pride at the door, and conduct negotiations with a keen sense of humility. 

R.I.P.O.C was tens of thousands strong, easily a hundred fold of their own numbers. The organisation was older and far more established, rumoured to have been started about a decade ago. Comparing the organisation to themselves was alike comparing a mountain to a molehill. 

He had been clueless to their existence until they had extended an invitation to him a month ago. 

"Strength in numbers."

While that held some truth, he wondered if that was truly the reason why they had chosen to seek him out. Their group wouldn't have made much of an inclusion to their numbers, anyway.

"We value your connections."

They were easily the most connected group out of the rest. While they were small, they had all the right alliances with other rebel groups. 

A few months ago, they had decided to merge with another group, a particular one that they had contacted two years ago.

When R.I.P.O.C reached out to them as well, he had been apprehensive. They barely knew this new organisation which claimed to be the largest of the lot, so making the decision of joining the former group was easy. But the first rebel group had been apprehended by the government intelligence agency just a few weeks ago, and it seemed like almost too much of a coincidence.

It was almost as if they had wanted to stop them from joining the first group, possessing intel on the coup even before it was successfully carried out. 

If his suspicions were right, this group was a force to be reckoned with. 

"We would like to accept your offer."

Yurio's eyes widened, and the Betas lurched back, mirroring their startled looks.

"What are you doing?" Leo said in a stage-whisper. "Are you sure about this? If we simply formed an alliance, we could obtain enough funds and technology-"

They couldn't do this alone, that much he knew. And if they wanted to stand a chance in combating the government, this was the only way to go. 

"Didn't we discuss this beforehand?" Phichit said with an exasperated sigh, "we came to form an alliance, perhaps even a joint association, but to merge with them completely-"

Yuuri closed his eyes. 

_Why do you still choose to stay hidden?_

The time for hiding was over. 

Yurio watched him for a long moment before turning to the Betas in the group. "Let piggy make the decision."

Phichit frowned slightly, but chose to remain quiet. The Betas in his group shifted on their feet uneasily.

"You trust him, don't you?"

This was a leap of faith. If he truly hoped to change the system, they needed to lose their independence first and foremost. 

The government was stripping away their freedom with each passing day. Yet the vast majority of the people were too afraid to vote against them in fear that they would be punished if AWP still won. Everyone knew that the confidentiality of the ballots was a lie. 

Yuuri nodded his head again, this time with more conviction. "My group would like to join yours."

The R.I.P.O.C representatives exchanged glances. The oldest of them stepped forward, extending his hand. 

"Very well. Welcome to the organisation."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _breaths_ The start of a new arc: Another round of planting implications left and right. 
> 
> Many things will not be revealed until the end of this arc (Chapter 20). Full speed ahead. 
> 
> A shorter chapter this time. The storm has yet to hit. I'm seeing far longer chapters leading up to the end of the Union Arc + quicker updates, so do look forward to it. (in an effort to conserve energy, do take this underwhelming chapter full of foreshadowing) ;w; Do support me till then!
> 
> If anything, please pay special attention to the first part of this chapter! It's quite... prophetic. Any guesses? Ah-  
> Also, Happy Bday@ YamiBaki! Hope you had a great one!
> 
> Do tell me your thoughts! Or ask me anything on [tumblr](https://chibifoxx-fic.tumblr.com/)! ;w;


	16. The Butterfly Effect

He's here again.

There's a distant chime from somewhere beyond the walls, and his eyes flutter open. Wake up, it seemed to say, pulling him back to focus like the ebbing tides of his consciousness.

Immediately, he stiffened in his seat. 

But the Alpha was not looking at him. He completely disregarded his presence, rolling a chess piece in his hand like it's the most interesting artifact he has ever seen.

He glanced at the door. Pristine, devoid of stains. 

"Alphas." 

Yuuri turned to him. There's only two of them in this room again. Alone, but not quite so.

"Betas."

The other seemed almost bored, advancing a pawn with a lazy flick of his wrist. It punctuated his monologue with the sound he has come to hate. "And Omegas."

And he chose to remain quiet. 

"It's your turn."

Yuuri met his eyes then, and those same blue pools are flighty. The Alpha doesn't hold his gaze for long, breaking it after a stifling second.

"They're pitiable, aren't they?" The Alpha said, tapping the head of a chess piece off the edge of the board. "To only be able to see in one colour."

The bishops. Only able to move diagonally, and the piece that was confined to one shade for an indefinite period of time. Black or white. Friend or foe, ally or enemy, there was no difference to it.

"So stuck in their own mentalities that they are unable to expound upon other sets of thinking," the Alpha added. "Second to the king and queen, despite it all."

A damning indictment of life off the board. 

"Those like you." Yuuri spoke, and his voice shattered the silence like clear glass, tinting the air with a feverish heat. "Like your father."

The statement sank in, slow and agonizing, an errant pebble in a bottomless lake. The Alpha's gaze flickered upwards, capturing his in a moment of breathless silence. 

"The rooks." The Alpha breathed, glossing over his words, his implications. He waved a hand, swatting away his thoughts. Their thoughts. "The castle walls to defend the king."

He's different, today.

"The Alphas who honour your label," Yuuri muttered. "Those who do justice to it."

The Alpha raised a brow with a light in his eyes. Seeing him for the first time, when he had been there all along. "You've never done that before." 

Confusion ate away at his frown. 

"Agree with me." The Alpha explained, lowering his hands. "You've never agreed with me, before."

Yuuri blinked, and the Alpha was now studying him with a fresh sort of interest. Eyes soft with a tinge of confusion, mirroring his- and suddenly the air doesn't feel as cold. 

Then it rose, a familiar anger that bubbled over into a mess of spilled tears. 

"But of course," Yuuri replied with a sour smile. "You would've forced me to agree with your views, regardless."

Toying with the Alpha, indulging the white monster in sheepskin.

The chair screeched and Yuuri winced, shutting his eyes tightly as he braced himself for a slap. For anything at all, but not for the words that followed.

"The knight." 

He cracked open his eyes, and the Alpha was still seated, fingering the board calmly. His eyes, sharp but mellow around the edges, swept past him easily. 

"The wealthy and the educated. The cavalier in shining armor, shielding the weak from harm." The Alpha's eyes flickered to the side briefly, deliberately, to the pawn that rested near his hand. Unpredictable, reckless. "But they are still coveted." 

The Alpha leaned against a hand, resting his elbow on the edge of the table. Bored, but curious. Passive, yet fiercely competitive. "Do you know why?"

Yuuri drew forth his own pawn, sliding it one square forward. His first move of the game. He had breached an unspoken rule, but his opponent doesn't look the slightest bit surprised.

The Alpha watched him for a moment, shaking his head with a resigned sigh. "You've never been so quiet."

He doesn't like this, not in the least bit. Not when the Alpha was treating him as an old acquaintance of sorts, claiming to know him despite-

"You don't know me," Yuuri muttered darkly. "You hardly even know yourself."

The Alpha regarded him with a bemused smile. "Pardon?"

"You don't even know yourself." Yuuri repeated, more softly now. "It was never about teaching me a lesson was it, Victor?" 

The Alpha went quiet.

"You marked me, not because someone told you to, but because you wanted to."

The Alpha frowned. "I-"

"You tricked me, not because you had to, but because you wanted to.

"You deceived me for months- _months_ , Victor." Yuuri drew in a deep, shuddering breath, "you played with me, toyed with my emotions even though it was completely unnecessary."

He swallowed roughly, but the lump in his throat wouldn't disappear. "Why would you do that?"

His opponent was rendered speechless. 

"You-" Yuuri wanted to gripe, to continue his tirade of words that he never got to say, but now that he was right before him he was overcome with an inexplicable sadness. 

It was just a dream.

But it must have shown, for the Alpha's expression started to shift as he fought to complete his sentence. Grasping at straws, willing for this moment to end soon. 

"They can both initiate the first move of the game."

Victor blinked.

"Knights and Pawns," Yuuri snapped a bit too quickly, turning his face away. "That was your question, wasn't it?"

The Alpha glanced downwards. To the pieces that littered the battlefield, to the untouched king that stood tall and proud on the other side of the board. 

"It was." Victor responded, but doesn't say any more than that.

They sat in silence for a while, neither quite needing to say anything in order to understand what the other was thinking. 

The best games were a metaphor of life. 

Yuuri eased himself out of the chair, traipsing to the only door in the room. Running a finger down the hardwood, brushing the surface with the gentlest of touches.

The stains have all but disappeared. The ceiling was clean, not a single streak of maroon in sight. It was such a shame.

Surely if he willed it, the nightmare would unfold again to invade this nonsensical dream. To drown him in anything other than the echo of the devil from his haunting past, to end this illusion that seemed to stretch on for an eternity.

The Alpha was still watching him quietly, and suddenly he felt odd, misplaced, like he never did belong here. But it was his dream, he had to remind himself. Not anyone else's. 

"What are you looking at?" Yuuri spat, casting him an acrid glare. The Alpha gave him a long stare.

"You," Victor replied. "I'm looking at you."

Yuuri stared at him blankly, letting his arm to fall slack against the door. The Alpha doesn't care to elaborate, shifting his gaze back to the table in front of him. 

It was clear that the game was over.

So why couldn't he wake up?

Victor rearranged the board, sweeping it clean. The figures teetered on their bases, one dancing, rocking off the corner, and it plunged-

Only it doesn't.

The Alpha righted himself, examining the piece he had caught in time. He balanced it back on the board gingerly, nudging it back to its starting position with a delicate push. 

"Can't be losing that." A small smile tugged at his lips. "It's an important piece."

The same. He was still the same. 

Yuuri found himself walking back to the table, sinking back into his seat with an averted gaze. Maybe it was the comforting familiarity of a presence he knew exactly what to expect from. 

He wrapped his fingers around his own pawn, steering it forward decidedly. It slipped, clattering across the board, and their hands brush as he reached to retrieve it.

Much to his chagrin, Victor plucked it from his hold swiftly. He dangled it before him, pinched between two fingers.

"Not all fights are fair," the Alpha supplied with a tight smile, stowing it away as his spoils of war. "And the world is not as kind as you think."

To the queen he had just saved, and to the additional pawn that was now in his possession. 

"Remember this, Yuuri." 

Victor slammed the piece onto the board with too much force, and there is an audible crack. It split the air like a whip, crackling with static.

"There's no war to be won if you are dead."

The abducted pawn beckoned his touch, and Yuuri grazed it with his fingers, snatching his hand away with a sharp hiss.

A bead of blood trickled down his finger pad, smeared all across the midnight pawn. Much to his horror, the head falls off after a beat.

Yuuri's faltered, and the Alpha's eyes softened. 

"Shall we start again?"

* * *

The C.O.P.I.R was an independent charity organisation. Championed by the citizens themselves, they monitored the actions of the government and pressured them to act according to human rights principles.

Everyone knew of them.

They ran under the government's thumb. The C.O.P.I.R, or R.I.P.O.C in other terms, was known for their close relations with community members under the constituencies their bases were set in.

The respective members of parliament were in turn answerable to the decisions of the community members, and as a result an inordinate amount of trust was placed into C.O.P.I.R to run as a simple organisation that citizens could turn to when they were fraught with concerns. 

He had integrated fairly well into the organisation. Most of the members knew of him, being Betas and Omegas that had largely advocated his cause during his college days. 

The organisation was mainly made up of Betas (60%), Omegas (25%), and Alphas (15%). His own group consisted primarily of Betas, a similar composition to COPIR's own.

Noble Betas, wishing to pursue equality for all. Betas who sympathised with their ghastly plight. Omegas, some more desperate than the others, using the organisation as an insurance should something go awry. 

C.O.P.I.R provided funds and resources for their members to engage in human rights movements. They set up shelters to protect the homeless and the abused, providing a safe space for anyone, primary and secondary genders alike.

They supported government schemes, and in particular-The Breeding Act. The government left them alone for that fact, endorsing most of their events for the sake of keeping up a good front. 

In the minister's eye, the only reason they were allowed to exist was to give the citizens a false impression. Their needs were being catered for, not neglected. 

RIPOC, sought to criticise the government for their unethical policies. To dodge investigations, they worked under the name of COPIR. Not many knew of their alias, and he had only been aware of its antithesis after they had sent him an invitation.

He was still unclear about their aims, but he did know that they provided a support system for the few that opposed AWP. An underground pipeline of connections at their disposal, interwoven with clever secrets.

Yuuri thumbed a freshly printed flyer, picking one off the stack. The paper was still warm.

_On July 24, over 600 people from all over Japan will gather at Akibahra community centre to educate one another and celebrate the human rights of every citizen._

_Rally Host: Central Organisation for Protection of Individual Rights_

_Rally Theme: Why stay paired when we can be independent?_

_Who attends: Those interested in human rights_

_Programme:  
Presentations and workshops, lunch and dinner_

_Cost: No cost. Fully funded by C.O.P.I.R.  
thepairfreedomrally@gmail.com._

So they organised rallies. 

Messages could be relayed in an instant, and faceless citizens from all over Japan would act on it. There was a huge operation in the works, snaking right under the soles of the AWP and coiling, twining at their roots and _waiting_.

Waiting to strike, but he wasn't sure how. They kept their plans a careful secret, and only the inner circle knew of it.

This particular rally marked the start of a petition to revoke the Act, and the response was overwhelming. 

The musty smell of ink and fresh paper permeated the room. The noisy rumble of machinery and electronic printing just about covered the patter of footsteps, but his ears were sharp enough.

"We've got quite the list of confirmed attendees this year." 

The Beta behind him nodded, raising a mug of coffee to him in an odd form of a salute. "All thanks to a certain speaker who will be present during this event."

The secretary of the organisation. A meticulous guy who took pride in his work, and the second in command to the leader. Standing just half a foot shy of his height, the Beta approached him with bright eyes and a winning smile. 

"Say, where can I find your graphic designer? He's pretty swell at making these. Saved us a load of trouble, he did."

Yuuri hummed. "Leo?"

"Yeah." The Beta- Kei- said sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. "Sorry, it's only been a week and the only name most of us know-"

"Is mine." 

Kei laughed. "Well, you're the main reason why she invited your group to join us. Perhaps the only reason, in fact."

Yuuri raised a brow, sneaking quick glances around them. "Who?"

"The..." Kei trailed off, and he returned the mug to the counter with a note of hesitance, "that's right, you don't know yet."

"The leader?" 

The Beta shook his head with a shrug. "You'll know in due time, Katsuki-kun."

"It isn't a mathematical equation," Yuuri replied, "it's obvious enough."

Kei grinned, and his eyes crinkled with mirth. "I like you. You'll do just fine here, so don't you worry about a thing."

Yuuri flipped the flyer over. "How will you distribute these?"

The Beta looked surprised at the sudden digression, but he was quick to reply. "We are thousands strong, Katsuki-kun. Surely we have our connections, wouldn't you think?"

Yuuri tilted his head to the side. "I'm working for Cialdini Media Group." 

Kei frowned. "No, you're not."

A smile tugged at the edges of his lips. "Cialdini Times, the main news source for the country." 

"An international label." The Beta recited from his memory with a frown, "a trusted newspaper run by Celestino Cialdini himself, ex-member of the parliament."

Yuuri crossed his arms with a knowing smile. "I thought you'd know, being the secretary and all."

The Beta raised a brow. "I don't have access to the backgrounds of all members, Katsuki-kun. Only Ev..."

A pause, and Kei blinked as realisation dawned on him, slow and crippling. "...ah."

The Omega turned his head away with a chuckle, and the Beta's face coloured just the slightest.

"You'll make a great asset." Kei said after a moment, flashing him a reassuring smirk. "They couldn't have been more right."

* * *

"Yurio. Can I ask you something?"

The Alpha turned to him, unamused. He kicked the footstool at his feet, sinking into the couch with a sigh. "You already did."

Yuuri frowned. "It's a stupid question-"

"And that's new?" Yurio snarked, flicking his bangs out of his face. "Spit it out."

"What does it mean when you have the same dream more than once?"

The Alpha raised a brow, and Yuuri shook his head with a laugh. "I told you it-"

"Recurring dreams," Yurio said slowly. "It's normal. So don't fret over it."

The Alpha shrugged nonchalantly and turned back to the television. The Omega looked back at his hands, unintentionally speaking his mind. "Dreams of the past."

His eyes trailed to the mirror across the room. "People I don't want to see."

Yurio glanced back to him, lowering the remote. "The mark is still bothering you."

A statement, not a question. 

"Sometimes," Yuuri admitted, raising a hand to feel the scar nestled under his jaw. Two milky white puncture wounds, stark against his skin. The pinkish hue had subsided with time, but it was still pillowy to touch. 

He wore it like a badge of shame, a reminder of how foolish he had been. 

Yuuri closed his eyes, pushing his regrets to the back of his mind. "It only began hurting lately."

Yurio narrowed his eyes, sitting upright as he looked the Omega over. "It's been years, piggy."

Yuuri ran his fingers over the gnarled flesh, letting the touch sear itself into his memory. He had avoided looking at it, and even touching it felt like some sort of a sin.

"The bond is not supposed to be there anymore."

A fierce rush of emotion, so intense that it left him feeling dizzy after it had subsided. His scar throbbed. The want to defend; the urge to protect. 

"You're dreaming of him," Yurio said slowly. "You're dreaming of him and your mark is reacting to it."

Yuuri hesitated, and the Alpha's eyes flashed. "Let me see it."

An irrational fear, perhaps. He shook his head, raising a hand to cover his wound as Yurio approached.

"Piggy." The Alpha growled warningly, and the Omega shrunk away with an involuntary flinch.

"You can't do anything about it," Yuuri muttered. "There's no way to-"

"We can replace it." 

Yuuri faltered, and the Alpha pried his hand away from his neck. The air hit his heated skin, and he recoiled, exhaling shakily. "I don't want to be marked again."

The Alpha frowned. "It's clearly bother-"

"It's not." Yuuri hissed, more snappishly than he would've liked, and the Alpha drew back in surprise. 

"I-It's fine. I no longer have such dreams."

Yurio crossed his arms, stepping away with a cautious gait. The Alpha's wariness soured his scent, and he felt a stab of guilt. 

"If you say so," Yurio replied, casting him an odd look. "You probably need more rest."

Yuuri nodded absently. He had more pertinent matters to address, and he had no time to dwell on the source of these lucid nightmares.

He had a speech to prepare for.

* * *

The organisation members gathered every week for "community meetings". Every prefecture had their own community centre, a building and common area meant to promote social bonding.

He dropped by after work every night and lent a hand by keeping track of the stocks in the respective prefecture shelters. 

"Katsuki-kun!"

He whirled around, and Kei beckoned him from the entrance of a room. "We're having a meeting now."

He was aware of that. But he wasn't aware that he was allowed to participate in it, given how he had joined the organisation just last week.

"It's a rally discussion, and you're giving a speech." Kei raised a brow, jabbing a thumb into the room. "C'mon, Katsuki. They'll love your input."

He seemed to run into the secretary an awful lot.

The Beta had a contagious energy to him. His looks were as ordinary as one would expect from a jaded, Japanese multimedia manager working in an average nine to five job.

But the facade veiled an intelligence, and Yuuri could sense it- quick-witted, intuitive, discerning. And it reminded him of a time, stone-washed and wrung out with melancholy, where he couldn't have been more naive.

"Yoo, earth to Katsuki."

Yuuri blinked away his thoughts. Kei snapped his fingers, bringing him back to the present. "Are you coming?"

"If you are sure." He replied, uncertain and just the slightest bit cautious- and Kei laughed, diffusing the tension.

"I'm curious." The Beta grinned, "what were you told to do?" 

Yuuri shifted the stack of papers pressed against his chest. The Beta glanced at it, and a small smile curved his lips. 

"Paperwork, really?" Kei chuckled, "who assigned you to the complaints?"

Yuuri shrugged. "It's never going to get through to the MPs anyway," he muttered with a frown, "thought I'll at least look them over."

The Beta clicked his tongue, humming softly. He appeared to ruminate for a few seconds. "Forget those, they always go in the shredder. Come for the meeting."

Now, it was common knowledge that the parliament members wouldn't do anything about the complaints. Not when most of them were targetted at the precious Act of theirs. But he still felt an obligation to complete his job before starting anything else.

"It's alright, you go on ahead." Yuuri smiled sheepishly, "I doubt the rest of the circle would want me there."

The Beta's expression shifted, but he doesn't think much of it. So he nodded at him politely, shuffling the rest of the way down the hall.

"If only you knew." 

Yuuri paused, looking back with a pivot of his heel. "What?"

"Don't tire yourself out with that."

The Beta turned away then, flashing him a smile, and he was left with a sinking feeling which settled to the bottom of his chest with a growing unease.

It's the first trace of bitterness he has seen directed at him ever since he had joined the organisation.

Kei ducked into the room with a half-hearted wave. "See you soon, Katsuki-kun."

* * *

The leader had old connections within the government. Sample counts and confidential papers could be leaked at the snap of a finger, a gold mine of information just begging to be utilised.

A perfect launching pad for his goals. 

By joining the group, they had to surrender all the documents in their possession. It was a risky move, and his impromptu decision could either make or break them. 

"I'm glad." 

Yuuri looked up from his work, and the blond was smiling at him with a hint of pride. His brows knitted together in confusion. 

"This," Yurio said, sinking into his chair with a lazy smirk. "This is the first decision you've made for yourself."

Yuuri frowned. "But-"

Yurio shook his head, cutting off his thoughts.

"Everyone is allowed to be selfish sometimes," the Alpha muttered with a snort, throwing his legs over the coffee table. "It's not a crime, and that's what makes us human."

"I _am_ selfish," Yuuri mocked, taking a seat beside him. "It would appear that you don't know me well enough."

Yurio gazed at him quietly. "Actually I do," he said, eyeing him with a soft sort of fondness. "Better than you know yourself, even."

The Omega turned, meeting his gaze- and a heavy, stifling sense of nostalgia tightened his throat. And he could hear it, the unsaid words that hung in the air. 

_"And even if the whole world is against you, I'll be on your side, no matter what."_

A smile flitted across his lips. 

"Thank you."

The Alpha shot him an incredulous look. "What are you thanking me for?"

Yuuri simply laughed.

* * *

"It goes without a saying that we value our liberty, our freedom of choice. Our freedom of expression, our freedom to democracy. As a basic human right, as the responsibility of those who govern us."

Yuuri breathed in deeply, surveying the people seated in the small conference hall. 

"The country is divided into two main groups. Those who advocate the Act, and those who do not." His fingers were shaking. "Those who are fooled by them, our own government and the people we trust to lead us- "

He paused, looking at the far back of the hall, where the members of the group were seated. 

"-and those who are not."

"Today I stand here on behalf of those who have suffered under the Act. Those who have faced injustice, those who have kept their voices hidden, hidden because of this fear that consumes us all.

"Why should we be afraid?" 

Glances, half-expectant gazes that flitted about among the present guests. 

"Why should we be afraid to voice our suffering, our concerns, when we are thousands strong- and with each day we are only growing in number, growing in strength?"

He searched for a certain face in the audience as his voice dipped, an unexpected lull in his oration.

"I do not come here as a victim, because whatever laments I have will not reach them. Nor do I come as a persecutor, here to condemn and write over their flawed ideologies.

"I am here as a fair critic of the system, a soldier who has temporarily left the field of battle in order to explain how, and why we need to incite a change."

A note of hesitance, and Yuuri sucked in a deep breath, shutting his eyes briefly. "A change that will eradicate the binds that have kept us chained down for years. A change that will mend the frayed bonds of our community."

Dead silence. All eyes were on him, yet his attention was everywhere at once, scattered in an anxiety-ridden mess.

But this was too important.

He swallowed roughly. "A few decades ago, the country was facing a crisis. A crisis so alarming that the government felt that they were unable to cope.

"Japan's population fell drastically. Birth rates were the lowest it has been at for years, bolstered by rising inflation levels and living costs. People were reluctant to have children not because they did not want to, but because they could not afford to raise them.

"Then came the legislation- The Breeding Act. The Prime Minister said, let us bring families together. An Alpha and an Omega make the perfect pair, and with this law they can be brought together sooner."

A smile touched his lips, wistful and sad.

"They will learn to love each other, and this will pave the rudimentary blocks that lay the foundation of a great marriage. From there, children will be born from their happiness, and the country will prosper."

He tightened his hold on the sides of the lectern which bore the microphone he was speaking into. "But the Act failed to deliver the promised results. The promise of a better life, and the promise for the creation of many happy families.

He paused. "Instead, we see broken families. Torn apart by the Act that spares none of my gender, we are forced to hand our fate to a stranger at just ten years of age."

"I'm sure you can understand. You, an Omega, who had not a single ounce of control over the choice of your own gender. You, who braved through the traumatic start of a new relationship, forced to be separated from your parents against your will. You, who cried deep into the night because you did not wish to be taken out of school."

Yuuri closed his eyes.

"You, who did not want to stay home all your life, and was not allowed to see your parents if you have not been good enough."

He inhaled deeply, bracing himself on the surface.

"Now, I want to ask you a question." Yuuri dug his nails into the wood. "Is this how we want our children to live now and in the many years to come, bogged down with decisions that were made not in their best interests, but for the sake of another?

"And to those who think that this will never concern them because they are neither an Alpha or an Omega. To those who turn a blind eye to it because your child will never become an Omega, and it will never happen to you.

"You cannot be more wrong."

He was no longer watching the clock. In that moment, it seemed like time had stopped just for him. 

"Yes, I am an Omega." He swallowed, "yes, I had no say in what gender I was to be. But am I ashamed of it? Do I scorn the gods for bestowing me this fate, so riddled with injustice and indignance?

"Do I cry deep into the night, just like the rest?" He opened his eyes with a poignant smile. "Yes, I do."

"But I cry, not because I am weak. I cry because I am angry, because I am upset that despite our obvious struggle, no one cares enough to do something about it."

The hall was quiet.

"I weep for the Omegas facing a worse fate, I weep for the lost opportunities, the opportunities you have so cruelly ripped from their grasp in your bid for a better future."

Yuuri took in a deep, shuddering breath, composing himself before he continued.

"The economy was crumbling, the talent pool shrinking. The people were desperate for a foothold, and the Act was sanctioned under the approval of many. We gave it to them- our rights, our permission, our children. And we paid for it dearly, with our freedom, our minds, and our limbs."

He tightened his fists. "They have handicapped us. Blinded our eyes, covered our ears and sealed our mouths, so that we would follow their jurisdiction without question. So that they will stay in power, so that they can triumph and live a life of luxury."

Soft murmurs, reverent gazes.

"So, I will ask you again." Yuuri breathed, throat clogging with a sudden onslaught of emotion. "Can no one see the sinister principles that lurk beneath the surface of this Act? Can no one see that we are being lied to, cheated of our trust?

"We did not know any better. But now we see the ramifications of their policies, the smiles in their eyes, even as they continue to strip away our individual freedoms.

"I speak on the behalf of all who have suffered under of the Act. I speak on the behalf of those with anguished spouses, children and loved ones. I speak on the behalf of all my friends who have been belittled and scorned, who have been told they were worth less than others before they were given the chance to prove themselves." 

"I have seen it with my own eyes." He pushed down the emotion swelling forth, "I have seen how defeated we have become, as a society. This is no longer about our secondary genders, nor is it about pride and superiority. This is far bigger than all of us combined.

"So I beg of you."

The hall stayed quiet. Not a single soul dared to break the blanket of solemnity that had settled over them.

"The Act will continue to beset us for many more years unless we do something about it. Unless we rise, not as individuals but as a society, to fight for them.

"And they have said to us, no, it is impossible. I say to them, yes, maybe not one. But united together, we will be able to achieve anything."

Yuuri raised his eyes, and many fervent, bright pairs rose in response. Listening intently, and for those few seconds, he felt like he commanded the entire stage. 

And with it, a swell of courage.

"So we will fight."

He balled his fists.

"We will fight against this Act, and it begins today with the signing of this petition."

Everyone. Everyone was watching him. 

He gripped the headboard with white knuckles, high on the taste of newfound conviction. "So here I am, and I come to ask you to help us win this fight. This will be the first of steps towards the future we dream of, our future, one that will no longer be dire."

A bout of silence. 

Yuuri lowered his head in a curt bow. 

"T-thank you."

It doesn't come right away. But when it does, it practically blows him away, and the applause is so loud that it almost splits his ears. 

A standing ovation.

Every single member of the audience was standing on their feet. His gaze trailed to the back, to the members who were regarding him with wide eyes and blank faces.

Hoots and whistles burst forth from the front row, and Yuuri allowed himself to see his company for the first time. Omegas. Most younger than him, beaming at him with radiant smiles, and he felt his heart stop in his chest.

The cheers don't cease even after he turned, and he was tackled in a bear hug the moment he disappeared behind the velvet curtain.

The air was squeezed out of his lungs, and he wheezed, blinking at the Beta who had his arms wrapped firmly around his mid-riff.

Yuuri's eyes widened. "Phichit-"

"Yuuri, that was amazing."

The Beta was teary, and he could tell, could _see_ that his accomplishment meant so much more than just the success of this one event. A shadowy figure shifted behind the Beta, and the Alpha stepped forward, moving into the light.

Yurio stared back at him, indifferent and passive, and his breath hitched in his throat, compounded with a sudden flare of worry. He must have done alright, unless he had tripped up somehow-

"I didn't know you had it in you." The Alpha smiled sincerely, with eyes full of regard. "You did well."

And he felt his stomach drop. A giddy smile surfaced, and he started laughing, and tears are brought to his eyes. 

It was a small achievement in the bigger scale of things. A speech in a small, informal rally, before an audience of less than a thousand- but his first speech nonetheless. 

"Katsuki-kun."

Yuuri blinked, still slightly dazed from the flurry of events.

"We did the right thing to trust you with the speech." A thumbs up, and Kei appeared from backstage, waving him over with a grin. "Congratulations, the rest are impressed."

The clamor of support was still audible, even through the thick curtain. And he felt a smile touch his lips, genuine and soft, the first of its kind in a long time.

* * *

It was a rude awakening.

The Omega groaned loudly, rolling over on the parquet floor as his bones throbbed in protest. 

He reached for the source of the disturbance blindly, smacking the sheets several times before his fingers curled tightly around the warm device.

Squinting at the screen, he scowled irritably at the absurd number of notifications bombarding his phone at such an ungodly hour. 

He glanced at the time at the corner of his screen, shoving the phone back under his pillow. It was too early in the morning for this.

God forbid he fall back asleep just to dream of him again-

Another buzz dragged him from his thoughts and he snapped, ripping the phone out from under his covers once again.

It was a new phone. He had lost his old one back in the accident, and while it was a bother it was far easier to replace than his lost identification cards. He had forgotten to tweak its notification settings.

But just as he was about to shut it off, a few lines caught his stinging eyes and he blinked away the spots of black in his vision.

_Kiro1234 liked your video_

He frowned, sitting up properly.

__Blinnnk liked your video  
Blinnnk commented on your video  
Alohomora liked your video  
Raileysun liked your video 

The metal stung his palms, overheating from the non-stop vibrations. Yuuri scrolled down the roll of notifications in abject disbelief.

_Blinnnk : God, it's him again._

_Hollytsune : AHHHH I KNOW HIM!! he was from my college!!  
(view 14 replies):_

_humanbeing : who is he (+16 likes)_

_Avodatte : His face looks familiar ^-^ _

_DiavelloCal : yuuri katsuki (+47 likes)_

_Umerai : @DiavelloCal Haven't seen him for some time lolol_

_Lazykidgamerr : @Hollytsune International uni of japan ftw~ hello fellow schoolmate! (´ ∀ ` /)_

_akshara : @DiavelloCal holy shit its the omega that blew up the internet... he's back again_

_(...)_

He felt like a bullet had been shoved down his throat. The link sent him to a video, and the number of views only made his blood run colder. The description box, what was in there-

__Amazing speech at the COPIR rally  
210, 756 views  
28k likes, 335 dislikes 

_A breathtaking speech @ thepairfreedomrally! Well done, you have my unwavering support. Congrats @katsukiyuuri for his smashing debut._

_**#** thepairfreedomrally **#** speech **#** inspiring **#** omegarights **#** thebreedingact **#** copir **#** katsuki **#** yuuri_

Someone recorded his entire speech and uploaded it onto Tvitter. 

Yuuri drew in a shaky breath. His Tvitter account had been somewhat stagnant since the elections, but now the activity had spiked to unreal proportions.

_omnipress : @katsukiyuuri congrats!! ♡♡_

_EchiaKia3 : @katsukiyuuri wow I was blown away, thank you for shattering my heart you monster._

_Diahlia : @katsukiyuuri I'm crying omg that was inspiring af_

_dieorlive : @katsukiyuuri That was strong. Well done._

Yuuri scrolled back up in a hurry. Two hundred thousand views was not a small number. Considering the fact that the rally was only two days ago, it was especially alarming. 

It would seem that the video had gone viral just a few hours ago.

And the views were only increasing exponentially, breaking the metamorphic glass ceiling with a stunning vehemence. A vindictive lash, spitting flames of fury from netizens who were infuriated with the election results.

"Oh god."

The video should have been taken down. It had been up for a full forty-eight hours, and most questionable content would have been censored within a day.

His phone vibrated again.

_(+89 notifications)_

_Yoi4life : @katsukiyuri I haven't seen such positive content in a while, I wonder where they all went..._

_taruibuns :@katsukiyuri You joined COPIR?? _

_TerribleTwos : @katsukiyuri @taruibuns we should have seen this coming, about time dude_

_Honey2027 : @katsukiyuuri ilove you so much omg <3<3_

_genuinemysteryS : @katsukiyuuri Copir redeemed itself, thought it was just a puppet tbh_

It was like a repeat of history. 

Yuuri shot upright, stumbling off the bed- but his foot caught onto the beddings, and it sent him sprawling across the floor with a hiss.

"Oh god, Phichit, Phichit-"

His phone was still vibrating crazily.

Half-glad that his room was just opposite his roommate's in their shared apartment, he burst through the Beta's door with a broken stammer.

"P-Phichit!"

His roommate fell out of his bed at his yell, rubbing his head with a frustrated groan. 

"You spread the video online, didn't you." 

Phichit groaned, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. "What? What video?"

"The video, it was uploaded two days ago and it only started trending some time just now-"

"Yuuri." Phichit frowned, "what video are you going on about?"

The Omega trailed off, confusion in his frown. 

"I didn't film it," Phichit said with a tired blink. "Look at the camera angle. I was sitting the side, not the back."

The back. The rows were filled with people, members of the organisation. The COPIR members, the prefecture leaders who managed their respective bases of operation. 

Yuuri lowered his hands. 

It made sense, now. But at the same time it was illogical, and uploading the video was alike sending a direct message to the government. Pitching up a gigantic red flag, a reminder that the Omega that they once tried to take down was still alive and kicking.

_(+123 notifications)_

_Rockstones : @katsukiyuuri #thisiswar If we're picking sides, I'm with this soldier all the way #COPIRact_

_aLderran : @katsukiyuuri #COPIRact lets spread it :)_

_putherin23 : @katsukiyuuri @Rockstones nah man #KYact is more appropriate_

_Blinnnk : @katsukiyuuri This for the by-elections? Strong start btw #KYact_

RIPOC did this for the by-elections. A parliament member had just sent in their resignation letter a week ago, leaving a spot open in the 130 seats. The by-elections would be conducted in two weeks, and the political rallies of candidates were only allowed in the week before the polls. 

Using him as a figurehead, one that would take the fall for them should something go wrong- and they knew to some degree that the rally was going to be a success.

But the fact that the video was still up on the internet unnerved him the most. 

The government must have seen it but had for some reason, chosen to leave it untouched. This was definitely not in line with any of their aims. From the responses on Tvitter, the video was doing the exact opposite, igniting hope in the dissenters. 

It was undoing everything that the AWP tried so hard to keep, the fear, the tension and unvoiced, unanimous vote against them.

It was either that, or... the organisation was truly in cahoots with the government. By having him come out to the public in such a dynamic manner, his exposure would make it easier for them to crush him.

But now, the game was taken to the political field and the public eye. They were more likely to use legal means to prosecute him instead of otherwise, and it would mean more work on the AWP's side.

RIPOC and COPIR were two sides of the same coin. And trust was a fine string, wearing thin with age and use. 

_(+197 notifications)_

_Goodfish : @katsukiyuuri @Blinnnk he's not in the polls though, he didn't contest # KYact_

_AkiraHAna : @katsukiyuuri @Goodfish You do know theres a write-in option, right? lol_

_hunhun100 : @katsukiyuuri @AkiraHAna yeah but whats the use if most people dont know about it -.-""_

_AkiraHAna : @katsukiyuuri @hunhun100 It's still possible right?? lolol #KYwritein #KYact_

_Kingstone : @katsukiyuuri FUCK YES for MP ♡♡ #KYwritein #KYact_

_ergonomicss : @katsukiyuuri omg we're really doing this #KYwritein_

But perhaps he was being overly suspicious. He wanted to trust RIPOC, and these doubts would only interfere with his current progress.

Yuuri rubbed his blurry eyes. This had to be a dream. This was too much to take in all at once, and he didn't quite know how to handle it. 

"Well," Phichit said, watching him quietly from the side, "looks like you are showing your face like promised."

Yuuri looked at the Beta incredulously. "Not like this, Phichit, this is too sudden and-"

"Yuuri." 

Phichit yawned and wiped away an errant tear. He pinned the Omega with a stern stare, glancing at the phone held too tightly in his hands. 

"I've been with you for this long, and there's one thing I know with absolute certainty.

"You're more than ready for this." Phichit deadpanned, shifting on the bed to face him fully. "You just lack the confidence and the backing to properly exert your influence."

Yuuri blinked, and the Beta glanced at his phone pointedly. "...which you now have, and if this isn't enough proof of how brilliant you are, I don't know what else more you need."

The phone buzzed again, tired and repetitive, and Yuuri unlocked it once more, scanning through the messages.

_(+350 notifications)_

_Raichuchu : @katsukiyuuri honey, we're here for you. #KYwritein_

_araincaKen : @katsukiyuuri A vote for that amazing speech? Count me in #KYwritein_

_KaraMars : @katsukiyuuri @araincaKen EXACTLY MY THOUGHT his speech is one of the best I've heard in a long time. Forget AWP, JAc or PAP, they make amazing speeches as well but Katsuki's speech tugged on my heartstrings like no other. While the speeches from the existing political parties are arguably well-structured and better presented, nothing could compare to the raw emotion I felt from listenig to him speak... (read more)_

_ryunagi : @katsukiyuuri @KaraMars Holy mother of fuck #preach #KYwritein_

_KaraMars : @katsukiyuuri *listening_

_Jannedoesstuff : @katsukiyuuri @KaraMars that's how i felt too. this was an informal speech for a small non-political rally but it hurt so much to hear... perhaps informality has its way of putting emotions across in the most impactful of ways... but it still managed to deeply impress_

_Blake : @katsukiyuuri @KaraMars U put it beautifully THANK YOUU ♡_

_Jannedoesstuff : @katsukiyuuri you've got my vote! #KYwritein_

_ARMY27 : @katsukiyuuri Wow, there are so many reasons why I love your speech. The act has so many flaws, how it takes it all out on omegas and tries to pretend they treasure them, like they are smth that needs to be protected etcetc. But in truth ive seen it, how they thrash them in school and prevent them from doing well lest the govt cuts their funding for propagating pro omega ideals. Do you know why? pro omega ideals will dampen the alphas spirits. Its not about a matter of genetics, its a matter of pride and it lies in the way alphas view themselves... (read more)_

_Nicethingswillhappen : @katsukiyuuri @ARMY27 FINALLY omfg people are SAYING WHAT NEEDS TO BE SAID??!! All this time we stay quiet until someone makes a speech?? Im a beta and just, my fucking faith in humanity is gone. AWp can go fuck themselves, I dont care anymore this is fucking wrong_

_booksandmovies : @katsukiyuuri @ARMY27 someone give this guy a medal !!! ☆☆☆_

_JuvenileUpstarT : @katsukiyuuri @ARMY27 Stupidity and ignorance. its easy to preach it but its not easy to take action you seriously think that katsukis speech is enough to push people to vote against AWP lmaooo_

_Queenofhearts : @katsukiyuuri @JuvenileUpstarT Fuck off its PRECISELY people like you who allows awp to continue winning all the elections. If you came here to dishearten people pls kindly gtfo Thankyouvery much_

_desertthorns : @katsukiyuuri @Nicethingswillhappen FUCK AWP LOL_

_Brazen667 : @katsukiyuuri @ARMY27 Pro-Omega ideals are exactly what they fear. But people are getting smarter now and are able to see why The Breeding Act is so stupid. It took Katsuki to expose their corruption on a multi-media platform when he was in junior high in order for people to start coming together?? Sorry I'm not going to wait any longer #KYwritein_

_(...)_

His eyes started smarting. 

Phichit gave him an encouraging smile. "Ride on the wind of opportunity. And remember that we are behind you one hundred percent."

Yuuri rested his forehead against the back of his hand. "You really think so."

The Beta nodded gently. "Yes, Yuuri. I really do. We all do."

Yuuri exhaled heavily, leaning his weight against his friend's shoulder. He closed his eyes tiredly, turning over his phone as he placed it away. "Alright."

* * *

_(+6054 notifications)_

_Yuichan34 : @AWP https://yootu.be/j_k_k-bHigM: _

_trustfundkid : @AWP You better watch out! #KYact #KYwritein _

_chibitshu : @AWP why didn't you take his video down?? thats so biased lol _

_Yuichan34 : @AWP @chibitshu The college incident_

_HumanitybBB : @AWP @chibitshu YEEee that shit got spread around so fast everytime they censored a video or shut down a site it got reposted again... it was crazy. Good luck in this round AWP !!! You will need it HAHAHA_

_Yuzuri : @AWP Goodluck AWP we will be praying for you #KYact #KYwritein #goodluckawp _

_PUPPIESpawns : @AWP Lol this guy is a better spokesperson than anyone in ur party. the new deputy prime minister is also fked up hes the son of the pm. Riding on coattails is so easy to do right? I wonder how ur going to fix this now_

_eggcelentidea : @AWP You gonna take him down or what? #awpsupport _

_(...)_

The Alpha replaced it on his desk. He pulled another phone from his pocket, adorned with a chipped metallic blue casing and a broken screen, turning it over in his hands.

A push of the button, and the screen flickered to life.

_(+1120 notifications)_

_Lenas : @katsukiyuuri THIS IS DISGUSTING. how can omegas in Japan live like this. ill rather kms than be forced to fuck an Alpha for the rest of my life. and at 10years old?? ThankYOU american rights #KYact _

_turningtables67 : @katsukiyuuri "You, who cried deep into the night because you did not wish to be taken out of school." I can feel for all the Omegas here tbh do you know how many actually make it to college. So little its embarrassing, and I'm a fucking Alpha. Give them the rights to their own education AWP fucks sake #KYwritein_

_redGreenSS : @katsukiyuuri U have my vote. #KYact #KYwritein_

_unanimoustrashbin : @katsukiyuuri @turningtables67 You just want to see omegas around dont you lol hornybastard alphas are all the same no wonder awp passed the breeding act. Take the breeding act as a piece of heaven and dont be ungrateful #awpsupport_

_WarrenKind : @katsukiyuuri @unanimoustrashbin You're a fucking sicko GUYS PLease VOTE IN THIS OMEGA he's amazing #KYwritein #KYact _

_(...)_

He narrowed his eyes at a particular line, expanding the message with a flick of his thumb.

_Osokun : @katsukiyuuri Did anyone else see the scar on his neck? I wonder what that dude has been through. #KYact #KYwritein_

The phone trembled in his grasp. 

_Xiexieni : @katsukiyuuri @Osokun oh yh now that you point it out its pretty obvious when he tilts his head #KYwritein_

It fell to the ground in his moment of stupor, and the Alpha bent down, swiping the phone off the carpet. Then he paused, finger hovering hesitantly over the lighted home button. 

The phone in his hands buzzed again, displaying the innocent little messages that he shouldn't be privy to. 

But he had all the right. 

He unlocked the phone again, reopening the blinking application- and the scale tipped, with the world trembling in its wake.

Here it all began.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woah, I really pushed myself getting this chapter out. (I missed YOI con for this) That is the first speech of many, and I hope you liked it! I'm a bit slow with replying to comments these days because this month is really unkind to me ^^"" But as always, I will reply to each and every one eventually so please don't give up on me lol! 
> 
> I'm so, so sorry for not replying to some of the comments from the last chapter. I love you all, but I need to rush for several camps starting tomorrow so life has been terrible. I will reply to them asap!
> 
> P.s. yes, I scramble the names of social media platforms because I can. I probably have more things to say but I'm dying of exhaustion, so leave a comment and it'll push me through this week >< Thankyou!


	17. The Victim, the Persecutor, and the Rescuer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Can two people play the part of three?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a funny story!
> 
> About a month ago, I went for an interview as part of my application to a residential college. Surprisingly, coincidentally- the discussion centered around the topic of feminism and the appropriate use of satire, along with how social gender roles influence our perception of individuals. Needless to say, the research for this fic came in handy, and I managed to get in... (despite the fact that they were known to be very strict due to their popularity) I'm still pretty shook about it. Long story short, I'm really happy that I chose to write APA. Really, who would've thought? 
> 
> Also, long... long time no see. Hopefully, this lengthy chapter will make up for it!

He had returned to Hasetsu to visit his family, an impromptu decision that he had made after the fallout of his speech. A sudden urge to see his family, and to explain his situation to them in person.

"Yuuri."

Blue skies. He remembered it clearly, as if he had been home only yesterday. Shining constellations, spread across the sky like a maze of bright, peering eyes- and somehow the thought made him feel less alone.

It's another dream again. But the realisation is vague, and it's not quite as lucid as the previous few.

Yuuko was drawing patterns in the sand, beaming with a kind of childlike happiness that he hasn't seen in years.

"Omega, Betas. Alphas."

He felt something in his chest soften at the sight. He hasn't seen Yuuko after starting college, and they had all but lost contact after she had moved away with her Alpha's family.

The girl glanced up, face glossy with an odd cheer.

"I wish things weren't like this."

She motioned to her feet, and Yuuri finally took in the sketchy lines engraved into the soft grains.

'How have you been?' He wanted to ask, but his throat was tight with melancholic wonder. 'Where have you been?'

The other Omega simply stared at him, tilting her head incomprehensively. She placed the branch by her side, pausing as she was hit by a second thought. "I wish we weren't Omegas."

Yuuko angled her arm back before swinging it out to the sea, sending the branch hurtling far from them.

"Don't say that." He found himself saying, more perturbed by the notion that she seemed so defeated more than anything else. "Things will get better."

She smiled at him sadly.

"Will it?"

The waves were turbulent, licking at the shore with the maws of a famished monster.

"I made a speech."

His vocal chords spluttered to life abruptly. High on a sudden wave of excitement and pride, reminiscent of how he would eagerly report his well-doings to his parents in his earlier years.

"The people are gaining hope. I'm getting support, and maybe now I can get into the government-"

Yuuko frowned. "But to do what, Yuuri?"

He hesitated then, half-stunned by her sudden inclusion. "To... to rewrite their policies," he began slowly. "The Breeding Act. The Nurturing Scheme. All that downplays the Omegas because we are far more than what they think us to be."

"And then what?" Her brows knitted together in a way that was so upsettingly familiar. "Can you lead us? Are you capable of governing the people, let alone an entire country?"

Yuuri blinked at the rapid fire of questions. "I-"

"You can't."

The statement settled in his mind, an echo of his own doubts and insecurities. His throat ran dry, and his tongue felt like sandpaper- but he persevered nonetheless. "I can do it better than them, at least."

"Can you?"

Another strike. His resolution crumbled just the slightest, and he held his arm across his chest, as if the statement physically wounded him.

Yuuko knelt down by the shoreline, dipping her fingers into the obsidian waters. Swirling up grainy sediments, disturbing the many weathered shells.

"You're not ready for this."

Yuuri closed his eyes, turning away. These surreal illusions were just a product of his own thoughts. None of them were true.

"Now that you are infamous, what will you tell them?" His friend looked almost sympathetic. "Mother and father... it must be difficult for them."

With how well-known the video had become, word spread fast, and his parents had become inadvertently tangled in his affairs.

A stab of guilt punctuated his thoughts.

"You've been selfish."

He had been selfish. Throwing himself into situations with reckless abandon, and even though his parents have taken it all into stride- he knew that he was bringing them more trouble than they would've liked.

"I wonder how it is, to be the parent of a child deviant."

Yuuri shook his head in an attempt to block out her ramblings.

"Every day, they worry that they might not see you again." Yuuko continued in a sing-song voice. "You have chosen to walk a dangerous path, and now everyone around you has to bear the consequences."

He had formed his own group and joined COPIR without their knowledge, and for all they knew he had been nose deep in dusty old tomes, pursuing post-graduate studies in another university during the past five months.

Now, the cat was out of the bag. He had to answer to those who had been kept in the dark, and his family was no exception.

"They'll be fine." He replied, wincing as a burst of sea spray soaked the front of his shirt. "I'll make sure that these matters wouldn't touch them-"

"Trouble will find them," the other Omega said with a sombre smile, "and they won't be any the wiser."

No. No harm will come to them, not on his watch.

"It's me they want." Yuuri said firmly. "They wouldn't touch my family, they hold no relevance to-"

"Fair point. Surely they would only target you."

 _Fair point_.

He should have followed through with The Breeding Act. Tolerated it, contained his dissatisfaction and saved his family of all the unwanted media attention. It was times like these that he found himself slipping into an empty void, one bereft of a positive future.

Yuuri knelt down, abreast from his friend. The seascape had never looked so beautiful in his dreams. Had he seen this sight before?

His eyes grew misty. "I never thought so far."

"And now you regret."

Yuuri breathed in deeply. "And now I..."

His voice was lost in a sudden gust of wind, and the sea breeze brought a salty taste to his lips. He turned back to his friend- but she was no longer there, and he was now stranded alone on the beach.

"You cry so much. Does it make you stronger?"

His eyes widened. Just a few feet from him, clad in the same old attire he had worn back in the brothel, stood an Alpha he had grown sick and tired of seeing.

But Victor was not smiling.

"What do you want?" Yuuri spat venomously, fisting his hands in the sand. "Are you here to laugh at me? To spit in my face, to say that you told me so, and I shouldn't have even tried?"

The Alpha doesn't respond, watching him with eyes filled with an ocean-blue likeness.

"S-say something!"

But for the first time in his dreams, Victor had nothing to say.

"Aren't you here to demean me? Aren't you here to take me as your _mate_?"

With another cry, he scooped some moist sand off the shore, hurling it at the motionless Alpha in a weak, desperate show of his anger.

"I hate you." Yuuri spat numbly, "I really hate you, you know?"

He glared at him balefully, narrowing his eyes as the wind grew cold, slicing his cheeks like particularly sharp razor blades.

"I hate you."

And with the soothing metronome of the receding tides, thoughts were drawn not from his mind, but rather from his heart.

"I really hate you." Yuuri bit out, and the words tumbled out as a choke. "Because at one point, I..."

Looking at the Alpha was suddenly too much for him to bear, and he directed his eyes to the far horizon. "...I truly cared about you."

Victor remained silent by his side, and for a moment he was quite certain that he must have lost his mind.

"Why must you keep haunting my dreams? What more could you possibly want from me?"

Pouring out his soul, laying it bare for no one to see. It was almost frustrating to see how apathetic he was.

Yuuri frowned. "And have you not done enough?"

He felt the Alpha move closer, and for a fleeting second he was fearful. But the impulse fled soon after, and with a whisper of courage his gaze darted to the side.

Victor was already looking at him. Kneeling just a feet away, dipping his fingers in the water in a way that mirrored his own. "What will you do, then?"

Yuuri squinted at him in confusion. "What?"

"When the government does come after you." The Alpha replied. "When they go after your family, your sister, and everyone else you care about."

His chest throbbed with a dull ache.

"You won't have anywhere to run," Victor said dully. "You're trapped like a rat in a sewage system. They'll drown you just like any other vermin that poisoned their waterworks."

"You don't know that," Yuuri snapped with a glare. "You wouldn't know unless you try."

The Alpha's lips parted in a wistful smile. "It takes one to be burned in order for lessons to be learned."

Yuuri narrowed his eyes.

"But only the strong survive." Victor's eyes flickered to meet his. "And you're not strong."

"I may not have the mental strength." Yuuri admitted. "But I am kinder than you, and that kindness will make me stronger than you'll ever be."

The wind died down, and he could hear the beating of his own heart with frightening clarity.

"And Victor," Yuuri muttered with a hint of sadness, "that's something you'll never be able to understand."

Victor scoffed. "Kindness won't save lives."

The absence of empathy, the lack of sympathy and understanding was pivotal to the regression of the human race. A lack of compassion for those who were worse off than themselves. For the unemployed, the poor and the socially excluded.

It wasn't a new phenomenon.

Yuuri's eyes darted up to meet his for a brief second. "You know, most hearts grow smaller as they break."

It was universally understood. Few were burned twice by the same flame.

With every small act of kindness from a Good Samaritan gone unnoticed. With each hapless look from those who tried to understand, misinterpreted as pity and condescendence.

"But mine seemed to have stayed the same."

Even his speech was too emotive, impassioned with traits attributed to all who shared his secondary gender. Appealing to the hearts of people rather than their minds. Emotion, over logic and factual evidence.

No matter what he did, he was still the same.

"What a pity." Victor said in reply, flexing his fingers. The Alpha looked at him after a beat, as if he could read his mind. "You don't seem any stronger."

His own ruminations. The fact that it had manifested into the object of his hate only made his subconscious thoughts harder to swallow.

"You're proving me right," the Alpha continued goadingly. "That speech doesn't mean anything if you can't commit to following up with it."

Anger coiled in his veins, thick and malicious. The Alpha was perched precariously by his side, and the body of water looked inviting.

Yuuri licked his lips absently in thought.

The hotness crept to his arms. A burning sensation lingered on his left bicep, a reminder of the fracture that hadn't quite healed. But he could move his arm easily in his dreams.

Victor smirked, and he snapped.

Yuuri lunged forward, throwing the Alpha into the water. Holding him under, waiting for him to drown, for the bubbles of air to cease, but he knew, at the back of his mind, that he could never do it.

His neck throbbed and an agonizing pain swaddled his heart. It became harder to breathe, and his mark began to burn with an angry vehemence.

_"You understand, don't you? He deserved it!"_

Yuuri squeezed his eyes shut.

_"I never... I never wanted this."_

He couldn't do it.

"Yuuri."

The voice snapped him back to attention.

Victor doesn't resist, watching him through the turquoise blue. It wasn't him. The voice was feminine, with a gentle touch of desperation and alarm.

He heard his name again, from somewhere beyond his own frame of mind. Louder now. Listen, it seemed to say. Embrace me, tightly now, or I'll slip away.

Victor smiled at him sourly. He parted his lips and they shivered, stiff with hesitance, as they mouthed the words he couldn't hear-

_"Wake up, Yuuri."_

And he so did.

* * *

Mari was standing over him when he awoke.

"Oh, Yuuri." She said with a sad smile, kneeling beside him with a soft sigh. She raised a hand to wipe away the dampness on his cheeks, and Yuuri flinched, eyes watery with sleep.

And despite being twenty-three, he felt like a child once again in the company of his sister.

She doesn't question him right away. Leaning over the headboard of the bed, she pulled out some tissues from the duvet.

"Dinner is ready."

Yuuri took the proffered sheets with a nod. The ply tears, and he doesn't quite manage to conceal his shaking fingers.

Mari's eyes softened. "Will you come have dinner with us?"

Yuuri closed his eyes. Having to explain his injury to his parents was a tiresome affair. His sister wasn’t too surprised, and that fact alone spoke volumes of how resigned she had become towards his involvement in dangerous situations.

"It's been too long." Mari continued to say, reaching for his hands. Her grip was firm, and it reminded him, briefly, of a warmth that he dearly missed. "Mum has been worried."

And that's when his tears began to fall.

"Oh, no." His sister groaned, "oh no, Yuuri, no."

She wrapped her arms around him, and just like that his walls crumbled. He leaned into her embrace, muffling his sobs in the crook of her neck.

"We're here, aren't we?" Mari muttered. "We're safe. Nothing has happened to us. Not now, and not ever."

Yuuri shook his head.

"They don't hate you." Mari said as she pulled away, looking him over carefully. "They don't blame you, Yuuri. They aren't disappointed in you at all."

"They aren't proud of me either."

Mari straightened up with sigh. She brushed her hair out of her eyes, tying it in a messy bun. It was no longer black. Now golden brown and longer, she had it dyed two years ago after she had set up a bathhouse inn with their parents.

“They couldn’t be prouder parents, Yuuri.”

It was a new enterprise, a daring business venture.

They did well in the last few years. Being the only bathhouse located in their quaint town was an added bonus to the income of her existing clerical job. Life moved on, and despite all the changes he found himself most at ease in his hometown.

"I don’t want any harm to come to the family," Yuuri whispered. "I shouldn’t have started this."

Mari scowled. “Nothing will happen to us.”

“No.” Yuuri swallowed, “no, you don’t understand. They are ruthless, and they will stop at nothing to discourage competition-”

The Omega hiccupped, cutting himself off.

“-I think that he was trying to tell me something. That day in the brothel, and even in my dreams, he has been hinting-”

His sister frowned, her expression riddled with genuine concern. “Who?”

Yuuri hesitated. “…an Alpha.”

Mari's gaze flickered to his neck.

"I have my regrets," Yuuri said softly. "I don't want another."

"You did the right thing." His sister repeated, a little tiredly now. "You did so much for so many Omegas."

The sheets he was sleeping on was sticky with sweat.

“Come for dinner,” she pressed, “Vicchan misses you as well.”

Yuuri nodded absently.

His sister paused at the door. “Besides, hindsight is twenty-twenty,” she added, throwing a pointed look over her shoulder. “Always remember that, Yuuri.”

The door was nudged open gently, and a brown poodle squeezed through the crack with a whine. A small smile curved his lips, and Yuuri leaned forward, scooping the dog into his arms with a laugh.

“There’s no point in agonising over lost possibilities.” Mari smiled, “it is impossible to accurately predict the consequences of our every action.”

Vicchan felt warm in his arms. Full of life, and for a fleeting moment his worries were shelved away.

Yuuri smiled at the poodle fondly. “I’m coming.”

* * *

"Blue whale."

He frowned, turning his focus back to the skype window. "What?"

"The game." Phichit clarified. "The suicide game going around lately."

Yuuri reconnected his headphones. Mari and his parents were fast asleep, and he had adopted a habit of calling his friend every night to discuss current events. Vicchan stirred in his lap as he shifted, and he picked her off his lap carefully, placing her on the pillow at the foot of his bed.

"Alphas and Omegas alike are committing suicide because of an alleged game." Phichit muttered, squinting at an article by his side. "The chain of deaths started only last week."

Yuuri crossed the room, toeing the door shut as he squinted at the screenshot sent by his friend.

_Blue Whale - the term comes from the phenomenon of beached whales, which is likened to suicide._

_Most of the victims are teenagers between the ages of 16-20. There have been no known Beta casualties so far, with female adolescents taking up 70% of the suicide cases._

"Who started this?"

Phichit shook his head. "I haven't the slightest idea."

Realisation dawned on him, and blood drained from his face.

"This could be a revolt against the government," Yuuri began slowly. "A revolt against the Breeding Act, the only scheme that directly involves Omegas and Alphas. It only makes sense, and my speech must have catalysed it-"

"I highly doubt that," Phichit cut in quickly. "I’m sure that you had nothing to do with this."

Yuuri bit his lip, and the Beta sighed.

"We don't know for sure. But don't worry too much about it. For all we know, these cases might be occurring independently of each other.”

A third party.

The victim, the persecutor and the rescuer. The Karpman drama triangle, a social model of human interaction.

The victims, the Omegas. The persecutor, the Alphas. The rescuer, the Betas. But even this thinking seemed too simplistic, and everyone knew that there were no clear lines when it came to pointing fingers.

In this case, the victims were the Omegas and the Alphas. The government was the persecutors. And the rescuer was-

"Besides, it doesn't make sense."

Phichit tilted his head in interest.

"Why do they need a game to prove that?" Yuuri murmured. "If they truly wanted to take their lives as part of a demonstration against the Act, they wouldn’t have made the message so vague."

The Beta tapped a pen against the arm of his chair. "That's true."

Relief settled in his chest, but he couldn't shake the feeling that he had just talked his way out of feeling guilty for a trend he was likely responsible for.

“I’m guessing that it’s some sicko targeting Omegas and Alphas for some reason.” Phichit declared, teething his thumb in thought. “From what I’ve researched, the game uses fear to manipulate its victims into completing tasks within a stipulated time period.”

Browsing through the articles proved to be quite a nightmare. The number of unofficial blog entries on the subject was astounding, each of them listing the duties given to the participants down to every last detail.

Every _sickening_ detail.

"If they were asked to cut themselves, they had to show photographic evidence. So the many victims do as they are told, because they don't know any better."

“Self-mutilation?” Yuuri groaned. “Why on earth would they do that?”

“The game is rapidly becoming a media circus.” Phichit frowned, “I feel that they might be blowing the number of cases out of proportion for the sake of sensationalising the news.”

_As the game nears the fifty day period and draws to an end, the participants have been told to engage in acts of self-harm, with the final act of suicide reported to be the last task of the game._

_The authorities have launched investigations into the suicide cases. If anyone has information pertaining to the origins of the game or the identities of the game administrators, please contact the local authorities immediately._

“On the bright side,” Phichit said dryly, “this is a massive headache for the AWP.”

Yuuri remained silent, and the Beta offered him a grim smile.

“So, what should we do?”

This was becoming quite the dilemma. If they looked into the cases, it’ll be akin to aiding the government in solving the problem, and riding the AWP of an itch that they would much rather watch them bleed over.

Yuuri lowered his gaze. “I see what you mean.”

It was a sticky situation.

The Beta looked troubled. “The AWP’s focus will be temporarily shifted. You can use this time to build your connections, and they won’t be any the wiser.”

More people would fall victim to the game as it dragged on. That meant that more lives would be claimed by an unknown perpetrator, and while it served as the perfect distraction, playing the part of an onlooker did not sit well with him.

“Show me the compiled list of cases.”

The Beta looked at him questioningly. "Are you sure?"

“We can't just sit by and do nothing.”

"We can," the Beta insisted with a wry smile. "But while I can understand the reasons behind your decision, I don't necessarily have to agree with it."

Yuuri sighed heavily, and the Beta chuckled.

"Kindness begets kindness."

* * *

_PandaHero : Why does no one talk about his arm lol_

_Rin-chan22 : he probably broke it somehow get well soon Yuuri!!_

_gggh3n : the mark on his neck tho_

_Girafe : I reckon it's inflicted by Alphas because they obviously have a grudge against him_

At the very least, it wasn't a complete lie. The fracture was small and it was said to heal in a month. Since the accident two weeks ago, the injury hadn't been giving him much trouble.

_katsukiyuuri : @Panda-Hero Recovering from a small fracture. @Rin-chan22 Thank you for your well wishes!_

He had to carry his arm in a cast, but other than a few questionable glances not many saw fit to bring it up in a conversation. The organisation didn't treat him any differently and neither did they speak much of his injury.

The hall was crowded. It was bustling with activity, and Yuuri couldn't remember a time when he had seen this many people gathered in one place.

There were booths in every nook and cranny. They were set up by sponsors and grassroots organisations, all for the honour of supporting the second event hosted by COPIR that month.

Currently, it was only day one of two. It was a two day long event, and he was set to open the event proper on the second day with a short speech. A small, informal speech, of a far smaller scale than the one he had previously prepared.

Yuuri observed them from the balcony, taking occasional sips of water from a cheap paper cone with his good arm.

The signing of the petition went well. But they all knew that it wouldn't be effective, knew that the government would dismiss it like every other peaceful protest staged by the groups before them.

It was more to gather support than anything else.

They looked like ants from up above, Yuuri mused, leaning across the banister to squint at the many unfamiliar faces in the crowd.

Matching names with faces was more difficult than he had imagined, and despite reviewing a surmised guest list beforehand he knew that he would forget most when tomorrow came.

"Katsuki, is it?"

Yuuri glanced to his right where a man now stood.

He was moderately tall, with broad square shoulders and a crass undercut to boot. The epitome of Alphas who very much disliked the sight of him, and of those that shot him nasty glances from the floor below.

Yuuri lowered his cone.

The Alpha nodded. "Pleased to meet you at last."

"Mr Leroy."

"Call me JJ," the Alpha said dismissively. "There's no need for formality between friends, is there?"

Yuuri smiled at the Alpha politely. "I believe that we've never met before this, but I'm honoured that the PAP considers me as a comrade regardless."

JJ clapped his back with a hearty laugh. "It's a pleasure to meet you too, Katsuki. Or is it Yuuri? Do you mind going by Yuuri?"

The Alpha was being overly-friendly, and he was unsure on how to properly react to his advances.

"I heard that the government is limiting the number of parties that are allowed to compete." JJ said casually, snaking an arm around his shoulders. "It's so very unfortunate."

Yuuri shifted one leg behind the other. "It's understandable," he said in a cautious murmur. "It’s not unprecedented for the party in power to propose such a reform."

JJ hummed. "It's such a shame, isn't it?"

"Not for you."

The Alpha looked almost surprised. Yuuri glanced at him briefly, turning his eyes back to the people milling in and out of the hall.

"It'll be easier for the PAP the next round." Yuuri elaborated. "You needn't worry about any new parties snatching your spotlight."

JJ's eyes lighted up with a flicker.

"But you are here to express your condolences because I won't have any chance to compete." Yuuri said with a sly smile. "Thank you, Mr Leroy. Your sympathy is very much appreciated."

The Alpha stared at him for a moment before bursting into laughter. Several heads turned from below, and his self-consciousness shot up by several folds.

"You're exactly as they say."

He had initially retreated to the balcony to take a breather from the activities. JJ squeezed his shoulders, and suddenly the ground seemed like a far better place to be.

"You and I will get along just fine."

Yuuri suppressed a sigh. If the co-leader of the second strongest political party was exactly as he came off to be, the future was barren of possibilities.

"I have to thank you for your generous donation to the organisation." Yuuri said, flashing him a dim smile. "Since we've been struggling with the lack of funding in the recent years, your actions are especially appreciated."

He had hoped that the sudden diversion of topic would take JJ by surprise. But the Alpha did not seem even the least bit rattled, and Yuuri fought back the urge to elbow him in the neck when he leaned in.

"Oh, but I haven't made the donation." JJ said with an equally wilful smile. "In fact, I was wondering if I could make the donation to another individual that could stand to do far more with it."

JJ's scent was stifling. But it wasn't heavy with desire unlike the lecherous Alphas who approached him in the past hour, seeking him out with questionable intent rather than actual interest in the meet-and-greet.

Yuuri caught his drift easily.

He had initially planned to use COPIR as a launching pad for his goals. Overtime he had grown undeniably fond of the organisation and the people, and the comfort brought about a complacency that made his sudden popularity spike just the week before quite unnerving.

JJ caught onto his hesitance, as brief as it was.

"One that could be the face of a revolution." JJ said, and try as he would, the Omega could not sense a sliver of wickedness from him. "Though they need to become independent before they can hope to do anything great."

"I don't think that is wise, Mr Leroy." Yuuri replied quickly, turning around to face the Alpha fully. "Your suggestion is much appreciated..."

The Omega spied a familiar Beta out of the corner of his eye, and he caught his gaze in a moment of deliberation.

"...but I need to leave now."

Yuuri gave him a perfunctory nod, dodging his arms swiftly. "Thank you for coming."

JJ did not make to follow him. The Alpha's gaze darted to the floor, to the Beta that had gotten his attention for just a second, and he noted a twitch of his lips, indiscernible but there all the same.

"You are a kind person."

His remark stopped him in his tracks.

"Many people will take advantage of a pure heart." JJ said with a side-glance. "They claim that you are cunning, but I think otherwise."

The only Omega who had made it big enough thus far and has managed to command as much attention as he had. It almost seemed like a sham.

"You are in it for something, just like everyone else. Before you know it, you will end up being used, then tossed aside like a used cigarette left to burn out on its own."

Yuuri watched as the Alpha shrugged, reclining back against the banister.

"But of course, we wouldn't want to start a fire," JJ muttered, "so we always make sure to stub out the cigarette after we are done with it."

Implications. Too many of them, and Yuuri wasn't sure if he liked what the Alpha was alluding to.

"What are you saying?" Yuuri muttered.

JJ's eyes darkened. "If you ever change your mind, do remember us."

With that statement, the gavel fell.

"You want me to join your party," Yuuri stated flatly. "This isn't so much as a threat as it is an invitation."

"I hope to see you soon." JJ said with a smirk, before he departed down the stairs. "An offer doesn't stay on the table indefinitely."

And just like that, he was gone.

Arguably, one of the most important people who was set to attend the event- and one of the parties that RIPOC was hoping to influence.

With a bitter taste on his tongue, Yuuri hurried down to the foyer.

"Yuuri." A Beta greeted, once he had singled him out in the sardine-packed hall. "We were just wondering where you were."

Yuuri blinked. “Michele.”

The Beta was dressed to the nines in a navy blue suit, complete with a striped tie to match. He was a fellow member of the organisation, and he frequently bumped into him on the weekends.

The Italian was a permanent resident in Japan, and his parents had migrated to the country when he only ten years old. Since he was a Beta, the Act never posed much of a problem to him.

Yuuri scratched his head. "I was feeling nauseous."

Michele shrugged. "Get over it quickly. We can’t have you absent from the panel discussions."

The timely reminder of the activities ahead made his gut churn. He remembered being excited for the day, to mix with the dozens of netizens who were coming down to meet him in person. But now it seemed like a distant memory, and suddenly he felt almost tired.

"I'll be there," Yuuri replied. "I just needed a short break."

"I’ll see you later then," the Beta said with a wave. “Goodbye, Katsuki-san.”

Yuuri shifted uncomfortably. Among all the people he has met in the organisation, Michele seemed like the person who was least likely to have a hidden agenda.

The Beta was friendly enough when they had first met, but now he seemed almost cold. Troubled, but he never revealed the reason why.

“Wait.” And in a moment of impulse, words spilled from his lips thoughtlessly. "I need to know something, Michele."

Michele folded his arms behind his head, and Yuuri shifted his gaze to the side. “Who can I trust?”

The Beta paused. “Sorry?”

“I…” Yuuri hesitated, averting his gaze. “Who can I trust in this organisation?”

"What brought this on?” Michele said slowly, looking almost amused. “Do you not trust us?”

Yuuri met his eyes diffidently. “You seem worthy of my trust.”

His blatant honesty caught the Beta completely off guard. Michele’s eyes widened, and Yuuri rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

“I mean,” Yuuri rambled, “I hope not, because I am terrible at judging others. But I only wish to help people worse off than me, and I hope that it isn’t too much to ask.”

Michele lowered his arms, tucking them into the pockets of his jeans.

“You can trust us,” he said finally. But there was a lull and the statement hung in the air awkwardly, leaving more to be desired.

It became obvious that he wasn’t going to say any more than that.

Yuuri smiled weakly. "Alright."

Michele looked him over with a contemplative frown.

“You are a good man.” The Beta said, but his expression did not match his spoken words. “I hope to see you soon, Katsuki-san.”

* * *

The panel discussions were well underway. He had been kept busy the entire afternoon, and everything went as they had rehearsed with little to no hiccups in between.

He slipped out of the room during the first interval.

Now that the programmes have started, most of the esteemed guests were in the conference rooms. There were only a handful of people loitering about the exhibition booths, and he singled out the Alpha rather easily.

"Mr Leroy."

The Alpha looked mildly annoyed at the sudden interruption. But his eyes soon widened in recognition, and his frown dissolved just as quickly.

Yuuri flashed him a winning smile. "May I have some of your time?"

JJ blinked in surprise. The Alphas whom he was speaking with shot him curious looks as they meandered out of the hall to somewhere quieter.

"What did you mean?"

Yuuri frowned as he fidgeted on the spot, casting flighty glances at the Alpha.

"You know something," Yuuri said in a hushed mutter. "But you aren't willing to divulge it. Why?"

JJ stared at him for a moment.

"What gave you that impression?" The Alpha hummed. "Are you certain that you aren't simply projecting your own concerns onto me?"

A rhetorical question, no doubt.

"You have your suspicions," JJ replied for him, "and you want me to ascertain it."

"Perhaps," Yuuri said shortly, once he had found his tongue. "But that is none of your business."

JJ nodded. "Then I shall take my leave."

Yuuri hesitated. The Alpha paused deliberately, adopting a relaxed posture as he adjusted his lapels.

"I admire your tenacity." JJ said with a tight smile, "but you should learn to walk before you run."

The Omega lowered his head. He had been too audacious, and in spite of his dislike towards Alphas he should have recognised the importance of staying on amiable terms with a powerful party.

"I apologise."

The Alpha's lips quirked upwards.

"I'm just very... concerned." Yuuri muttered, "I have people to protect, Mr Leroy."

"As do I," The Alpha replied. "You're no different than any of us."

Yuuri's eyes widened in surprise, and JJ shot him a knowing smile.

There weren't many Omega politicians. Currently there were only three Omegas in total from the registered parties, and none were holding any seats in the parliament.

Due to the limited seats, the parties would rather have the Alpha or Beta members in their group represent the various constituencies. Then what role, you would ask, do Omega politicians play?

"I can help you get there, as long as you follow my instructions."

The moment shattered.

"I appreciate your sincerity." Yuuri said, and his voice dropped an octave lower. "But I think it would be better for you to seek someone else."

Five years ago, after the dissolution of the previous parliament and the closing of the elections, the AWP announced a new ruling.

"To maintain diversity and proper representation" of the various secondary genders, every registered party must have at least three Beta or Omega politicians in order for the party to be able to partake in the elections.

"You speak of someone who does not mind being an ornament," Yuuri drawled in a low murmur. "You might be looking in the wrong place, Mr Leroy."

His abrupt refusal took the co-leader of the PAP by surprise, and the Alpha stared at him in wordless wonder for a few seconds.

"You're referring to the ruling," JJ declared.

Yuuri returned the stare with a solid frown. "Isn't it..."

"...obvious?" JJ completed for him, "no, because I've never once had that thought in mind."

"Then, why?" Yuuri murmured. "Why do you insist on your offer despite knowing that I do not agree with the focus of your party?"

JJ scratched his head with a sigh. Yuuri crossed his arms, and very nearly fell over when he was tugged towards a more secluded corner.

"It isn't convenient now." JJ clicked his tongue, glancing over his shoulder. "Meet me after the panel discussions have ended."

Yuuri pulled his arm from the Alpha's strong grip, eyeing him more warily now.

"Where?" Yuuri asked, and the Alpha smirked.

"I'll come to you."

* * *

"Do we have any more questions for the speakers?"

The MC of the event, a Beta by the name of Nami, surveyed the seated audience with a genial smile. "If not, we will end this session now."

Yuuri glanced at his watch.

There were only five COPIR members present as speakers. Unsurprisingly, he was made to seat in the middle of the row of speakers.

The treasurer and finance head, a soft-spoken but earnest Omega. He met with her whenever there was a need to restock supplies in the shelters. June was good with numbers, but never with words.

Sitting to his right was the co-leader of the organisation. Alexei was always present for all the meetings in lieu of the actual leader. The Alpha had a bright, boyish smile which charmed many to oblivion, and his playful demeanor could break down defenses easily.

He never gave away any hints on the identity of the actual leader of COPIR, and despite his carefree persona, Yuuri could feel it- a spirit that was protective and fiercely loyal, and a soul that was warm yet cold.

"This will be your last chance to ask us anything in person," Alexei said with a radiant smile, and some Betas in the far corner of the room began to swoon. "Please don't feel shy."

Raine was the head of communications for all operations. Leo and Emil worked with her frequently, and described her to be a patient but strict individual. The opposite of June, her skill with the language, be it spoken or written, was impressive.

She talked for the rest of the members during the panel discussions when they could not find the right words to say.

"Anyone? Any last questions?" Raine chimed in from the end of the long table. "Refreshments will be in the next room, so do find us if you have any questions to ask in a more private setting."

Last but not least, sitting to his left was the secretary of the organisation- a Beta he was well-acquainted with.

Kei seemed especially jittery this morning.

"Alright folks, this is the end-"

As if on cue, a hand shot up from the back of the room.

"Wait." Kei blurted from his side, "we have one more from the last row."

"So we do," Nami said smoothly. "We have plenty of time."

Alexei nodded. "Go ahead."

A stout male staggered to the microphone positioned in the middle of the aisle, and he cleared his throat rudely before speaking.

"Katsuki-san, this question is for you."

Kei elbowed him in the side none too subtly. The person was well-dressed, and he certainly stood out from the rest of the present guests.

With a five o' clock shadow and shaven sideburns, he appeared to be of a charismatic type. Probably another businessman of a private enterprise looking to invest in the organisation's ventures.

"You advocate individual liberties and the freedom of choice and enterprise," the man said, and the restless murmurs died down. "How do you plan on accomplishing that?"

"That is a good question." Kei cut in quickly, before he could answer. "Katsuki-san, do you plan on starting a party soon?"

The Beta was watching him too carefully. It was unnerving, and the atmosphere was as tense as can be. He shot the secretary a puzzled look before nodding at the guest in acknowledgement.

"That is a good question." Yuuri began, and Kei broke their gaze, feigning disinterest. "I feel that gaining a foothold in the current political climate is of more importance."

Alexei nodded along to his words.

"With the many reforms introduced by the Aria Workers' Party, there is an urgent need to counter their decisions more than anything else."

"But Katsuki-san," a lady from the front row exclaimed, "you have not answered the question."

Yuuri hesitated, and Alexei filled in for him quickly.

"Katsuki-san has already answered the question," The Alpha replied politely. "If you have any clarifications to make, we urge you to approach him after this session has ended."

Yuuri released a breath he hadn't known he was holding.

There were some murmurs of discontent, but the unhappy guests soon settled back into their seats with disgruntled expressions.

The other members looked as stoic as can be. They had made sure to conceal their scents using applied blockers before the day began, but that left him with the unfortunate inability to sense the fluctuations in their moods.

After the event, they dispersed in different directions.

“You did well today.” Alexei said with a light hearted chuckle. “We’ll look forward to your opening address tomorrow.”

"I'll do my best," Yuuri replied indulgently.

The Alpha gave him a pat on the back, wishing him well on his speech before he left through the side-door.

Alexei did well as the co-leader of the organisation. He liked him well enough, but he knew to hold inhibitions, knew from experience that even the most genuine of people could be hiding a dagger behind their backs.

A wolf in sheepskin.

The best of facades were undetectable.

Yuuri maneuvered through the crowd of people awkwardly, dodging questions left and right.

It was times like these when he deeply wished that his friends were by his side. He never saw them much anymore after his speech had gone viral.

Phichit had decided to commit more time to his work- a temporary thing, the Beta had assured, but it was a necessary break from the organisation nonetheless. His friend had claimed that the place gave him 'bad vibes' which Yuuri couldn't see nor feel no matter how hard he tried, so he had merely brushed off his laments.

Leo and Emil were busy pursuing new jobs after an unfortunate episode which resulted in them being fired simultaneously- and for the life of him, he couldn't figure out why.

He found the secretary by the water cooler.

"Oh, hey." The Beta greeted with a tired smile, "how are you holding up?"

Yuuri chuckled. "Barely."

"I feel you. Being diplomatic is easier said than done."

A thought struck him, then.

"Say, Kei." Yuuri murmured. "Why did you push the question like that?"

The Beta hummed contemplatively. "Because I was curious, Katsuki-kun."

"You shouldn't have pushed it like that. Not publicly, at least."

Kei crushed the paper cone in his hand and tossed it into the bin with a sigh.

"What are you worried about now?" The Beta said monotonously, raising his eyes to meet his- and Yuuri suppressed a flinch. "What's the worst that could happen?"

The Omega held his stare steadily.

"You are worried that you might be targeted." Kei continued, with a knowing smile. "If you laid out your intentions of starting a party, you would be alerting the current ruling party of a future rival."

Yuuri frowned. "So why-"

"Because we all have people we want to protect."

The Alpha's words echoed in his mind, and Yuuri faltered, but only for a moment. The Beta's eyes softened.

"Tell me.” Kei shifted so that he was facing him fully, and the air became heavy with a sudden weight. "What will you do when your life is in danger?"

The Beta raised both his index fingers.

"One, an innocent civilian." He waggled his right index finger, then his left. "The other, you."

"Who will you save?"

Yuuri opened his mouth to reply- but was immediately cut short when Kei cleared his throat loudly.

"Sorry, let me rephrase that," the Beta coughed, smiling genially. "One, a reprehensible Alpha. The other, an Omega who incites more violence and bloodshed."

Sticking out his thumb, Kei raised the finger gun to the side of his own head, and aimed the other at him. Yuuri stiffened, and the Beta watched him impassively. "Who will you choose to kill?"

Yuuri frowned. "None."

"Both," Kei answered for him easily. "You should choose to kill both."

Yuuri blinked in confusion.

"You kill the Alpha to serve justice, and the Omega to prevent the exacerbation of our lives."

Kei turned his gaze to him, warm obsidian orbs that sparkled with a pinch of pity. "But tell me. Can you forgive the Alpha, Katsuki-kun?"

Yuuri's eyes flickered upwards to meet his.

"Will you be able to forgive him for what he has done?" Kei reiterated, holding his gaze heatedly. "Can you?"

A sizzle of suspicion.

His throat spluttered to life, and the word fell from his lips before he could think to stop it. "No."

"Bang," Kei nodded, drawing out the words slowly. "Then he will die, and you will finally be able to get the equality you so desire."

A chill scuttled up his spine.

"How..." Yuuri whispered. "...how did you know?"

Kei lowered both his hands with a laugh. 

"Oh, Yuuri." The Beta said with a wry smile, "we all pretend to have guns we don't have."

* * *

"He offered you _what_?"

Yuuri stifled a yawn, nodding sleepily at his friend.

"Jean Jacques Leroy, current CEO of Soy Rich and co-leader of the Partizan Almavivo Party offered you a place in their party and you _declined_?

The Omega blinked blearily at the screen. It was midnight, and he was still reeling from the heated panel discussion which took place earlier that very afternoon.

"Phichit, their party has a different focus." Yuuri said with a frown, "and there is no point in me being a part of a party I don't agree with."

"But this could be the boost you were looking for!" The Beta insisted, throwing out his arms for emphasis. Through the monitor, the action looked hilariously redundant. "You don't have to agree with them fully, just enough so that you can make your standing known!"

Yuuri sighed heavy. "Look, Phichit-"

"You just have to join them long enough to glean sufficient experience in the field," Phichit stressed. "Then you can leave them and start your own party with a more solid reputation!"

There was some truth to his words.

Yuuri hesitated. "I told him that I would consider it."

Phichit gave a hum of approval. "RIPOC won't let you go so easily, though."

Now, the tables have turned.

"I'll be betraying the organisation." Yuuri reasoned with a delicate scowl. "I'm indebted to them."

"Better them than you," Phichit replied. "You must learn to protect yourself."

It was beginning to seem that his friend was, more often than not, his voice of reason. But while his mind couldn't agree more with his reasoning, his heart just might not follow through with it.

"Besides, I don't trust RIPOC all that much."

Yuuri looked up at him curiously.

"You aren't even close with the members in the inner circle," Phichit elaborated, "and the members I've mingled with were pretty set in their ways of thinking."

"But-"

Phichit shook his head. "You wouldn't want to be part of such an inflexible organisation, not if they are attempting to mould you into one of their own, and have you conform to their ideals."

Yuuri frowned. "Rig-"

A loud crash interrupted their exchange, and Yuuri jumped from his seat, turning around so fast he could have gotten a whiplash.

The door was still closed.

"Who was that?"

Yuuri turned back to the screen slowly. His friend was now on high-alert, surveying his back from what little he could see of his bedroom through the monitor.

"Did you let someone stay over?"

There was someone else in the apartment. The only other person that had another copy of the keys was Phichit, and he was speaking with him right now.

Yuuri swallowed roughly before replying. "No."

Another sound could be heard, a soft thud from beyond the walls of his room.

With another surreptitious look behind his shoulder, Yuuri moved off his seat slowly, making his way to the door with cautious steps.

Phichit was saying something, but he couldn't hear him over the sound of his own thoughts.

Yuuri pulled off his earphones. "I'll be back," he remembered saying, before he slipped through the door with a penknife in hand.

The hallway was well-lighted. He always left the lights on throughout the night whenever Phichit wasn't around, if only for the sole reason of feeling safer.

Mice. It could always be mice that had somehow found their way into the kitchen via the garbage chute.

He slipped the penknife up his sleeve as he flexed his fingers experimentally.

Not a single sound could be heard. There weren't any tell-tale shadows dancing across the reflective surface of the glass cabinet, and neither was any furniture moved.

Yuuri crept around the coffee table, keeping his head low as he shuffled towards the study room.

Calling the police was always an option- one that he was sure Phichit would readily propose, but he did not like to involve the authorities any more than necessary.

But there was no one in the room.

Yuuri righted himself with a sigh.

He was being too paranoid. Phichit had been gone for too long, and the apartment felt empty without his flatmate.

The Omega returned to the room with a heavy sigh, shaking his head tiredly.

“Strange,” Phichit frowned, “that sounded too near for it to be outside.”

He couldn’t shake his feeling of unease.

“You should sleep early tonight. Don’t you have another speech tomorrow?” The Beta gave him a reassuring thumbs-up. “I’ll be stuck in Thailand for a while, but I’ll look forward to seeing it online!”

Leo, Emil and Yurio would be absent as well. He would be alone for the event, but the thought never did deter him. He’d use the time to connect with RIPOC’s inner circle, and hopefully gain more insight on their goals.

Yuuri offered his friend a weak smile. “I’ll see you in a week.”

The next day, he was stopped by a package placed just outside his door.

The corridor was empty. It was five in the morning, and he only woke up at this ungodly hour to practice Capoeira in the neighbourhood gym.

Yuuri frowned as he locked the door, turning around to scrutinise the object properly.

It was unlikely that anyone had left the delivery outside his door just before he exited from the apartment. His mind raced to the night before, and suddenly it all clicked in his head.

He knelt down, tearing it open with cautious fingers.

The oddest part of the entire ordeal wasn’t the fact that there was no visible postal stamp on its exterior.

The package- a box, he realised, was encased in a wrapping likened to how one would gift a birthday present. It was decorated with childish letterings and colourful balloons, and as he tore away the wrapping to reveal a red smudge on the side of the cardboard box, a sinking feeling settled in his gut.

The stench hit him even before anything else.

He flipped the cardboard lid in one swift motion.

And he promptly felt sick to his stomach. There was a stinging in his throat- bile, he realised, and the box fell from his hands.

Everything was a blur after that.

* * *

"You wouldn't believe who I met last week."

The Omega was bouncing on the balls of her feet, practically bubbling over with excitement.

"Your fiancé?" Seung-gil responded, as he flipped through some documents with a perpetual scowl. "Has he finally gotten over himself?"

Isabella frowned. "Well, no."

Seung-gil sighed heavily as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "He should have seen it coming," he muttered impassively, "so I don't understand why he threw such a fit."

"He was trying to remain hopeful." Isabella replied defensively. "If he doesn't, who will?"

The Alpha's gaze flickered upwards.

"Certainly not you." Isabella continued, with a deeper frown. "You've changed, Seung-gil."

The Alpha doesn't respond, and for a moment the Omega was certain that she had overstepped her bounds.

"I'm the one holding this party together."

Seung-gil set the papers in his hands back on the desk. Calmly, he stood from his seat with a glare that chilled the air.

"While I have been shouldering most of the work, your fiancé has been running about doing absolutely nothing."

The PAP leader stormed across the room, flinging open the file cabinet in one quick motion. He pulled out a dosser from the lowest shelf and tossed it onto the computer chair loudly, displacing several papers.

"He was supposed to scout for sponsors." Seung-gil snapped, "but he is currently squandering our precious funding on independent parties that will never make it."

Isabella frowned, and the Alpha scowled.

"It's absolutely ludicrous."

"He is only doing what he thinks is right." The Omega insisted angrily, clenching her fists. "He might be doing something unwise, but his heart is in the right place."

The Alpha narrowed his eyes.

"You can't deny that, Seung-gil."

"I don't care about where his intentions lie," Seung-gil replied coldly. "The ends justify the means. If he continues to goof about like that, it won't end well for any of us."

"Did you even bother to find out about his intentions?"

The Alpha met her gaze with a steady glare.

"He plans to recruit new members by the means of bribing them into the party," he said slowly. "Correct me if I am wrong, Ms Yang."

"To increase the credibility of our party." Isabella stressed, "by bringing prominent figures into our party- public figures, fresh new faces! Surely it will improve our standing, wouldn't it?"

A guttural growl shook the air between them. "Foolish."

Seung-gil turned to her as he crossed his arms. "Tell me," the Alpha said softly, dangerously so. "What good will it do to bring that Omega into our party?"

Isabella faltered visibly, and he scoffed.

"I know that you have met him. Your fiancé has already told me all about it."

"But-"

"Our party is not libertarian." Seung-gil hissed with a note of finality. "I won't have him anywhere near our grounds."

"But you haven't even met him." Isabella scowled, "you haven't even heard him out, and you haven't given him a chance! How could you-"

"Nothing will change my mind."

"He needs our help, Seung-gil. He is smarter and kinder than anyone of us here, and it's only a matter of time before-"

"His heart will be his downfall." Seung-gil met her gaze passively, with a touch of wistfulness to his upturned smile. "I have witnessed more people fall than the two of you combined."

His expression darkened as he turned to face her.

"Kindness will not unite people in politics. If anything, it will only elicit pity. Sympathy does not win elections, Ms Yang. Lies and promises will."

Isabella lowered her gaze. "But-"

"But it seems that the two of you are too caught up in his fame to realise that popularity means close to nothing," the Alpha said harshly. "People are cowards. They may support him now, but the actual results will be the same every single time."

Isabella regarded him impassively.

"Perhaps that is the reason why our country is only regressing," she said softly. "Have you never considered that?"

The Omega shifted forward, resting her hands on the desk with a plaintive frown.

"You might not be willing to take the leap of faith, but the rest of us are ready for a change. Any change, because it's been too long and we've been getting nowhere."

"We are winning more constituencies."

"And then what?" The Omega snapped, "so that you can win the elections and continue governing the country the same way the AWP already does?"

The Alpha went silent.

"You've changed." Isabella muttered, with a sad frown. "You are becoming more like those you detest."

She picked her handbag off the table and stopped at the door, throwing a cursory glance over her shoulder. "I'm going to find him."

The door creaked shut, and the Alpha buried his face in his hands. He reached for his discarded laptop after a beat, searching for the tab that he had glossed over after coming to know of its contents.

Hovering his finger over the left mouse button, a frustrated snarl escaped from his lips, a damning echo in the empty room.

_"It goes without a saying..."_

There was never a need to change.

* * *

_The Alpha, the mighty and the superior, the oppressor._

_The Omega, the weak and the debilitated, the oppressed._

_Since the reforms announced a few months ago, tensions between the two groups were high. Omegas had declared an unofficial war against all Alphas, and an increasing number of Omegas became estranged from their families._

_They were learning to fight back, for they now knew that they could demand for their rights. And the sudden resistance brought about a unification and mobility that challenged the deep-rooted ideologies of the many who saw themselves superior to the marginalised group._

_Now, Betas were inclined to side with Omegas on power struggles, both socially and economically. Omegas were seen as second-class citizens, and the act of sympathising with the plight of the less fortunate was universally lauded._

_In Japan, the line couldn’t be made clearer._

_It was easy to assume that should a civil war occur, the country would be divided fifty-fifty. Betas made up about twenty-two percent of the population, while Omegas were down to an alarming sixteen percent. Together, the two groups were a formidable force, one that could be reckoned with._

_In light of the recent media upheaval over the sadistic deaths from both conflicting groups, the Blue Whale phenomenon took the entire country by storm. It evolved into a chase with a ticking timer, and as families raced to contact their loved ones the number of victims only grew._

_They struggled to push the blame._

_ How idiotic. _

_The game used threats to coerce their victims into compliance, exploiting their naivety to have them complete the daily tasks. Threats to their families, their friends and everyone they held dear. Whoever the developer was, they possessed an immense amount of knowledge and power._

_Why toy with human lives in such an indirect fashion?_

_ “Wouldn’t it be more interesting?” _

_Such a harrowing trend begets the question, ‘who dunnit?’ Which group was responsible for sparking this series of tragedies, and what was their ultimate aim?_

_Welcome to the Blue Whale. This is your first task._

_..._

Phichit frowned. All the research brought him to this one article that was written by an anonymous user on a hidden site. He wasn’t skilled at technology, but thankfully Yurio had been more than willing to lend him a hand.

“Yo.” The Alpha barked from the Skype window, and the Beta drifted back into focus. “I heard that piggy is going to make another speech.”

Phichit nodded. “He should be delivering it right now.”

None of them could make it to the second event hosted by COPIR. Leo and Emil were visiting their families in Akihabara and Kyoto, and Yurio was neck-deep in work. The blond Alpha had finally taken up a temporary job as a software developer, if only just to break the mundanities of everyday life.

“For all your talk, you don’t try hard enough.” Phichit threw in the comment casually, adopting a smug smile. “You could have made it for the event, yet you chose not to.”

If looks could kill, he would have passed at that very instant.

The Beta’s grin widened. “Why?” 

Yurio narrowed his eyes before he averted his gaze with a noise of aggravation. “…too dependent.”

“What?”

“He’s becoming too dependent on us,” Yurio snapped, “and that is unhealthy.”

Phichit scoffed audibly. “I would think that it is the other way around.”

The Alpha rolled his eyes. “Either way, this would give him a chance to mingle with the other members of-“

Yurio cut himself off abruptly as his gaze flickered to the corner of his screen. “…I managed to trace the source.”

Phichit sprang up from his chair immediately. “Where?”

The Alpha's expression twisted with conflict. Simultaneously, he looked lost.

“I should have gone with him.”

* * *

“Where is he?” Kei growled, “He should've been here a good hour ago!”

The female Beta by his side shrugged in reply. “Perhaps he grew tired of acceding to our demands.”

Three hours into the second-day of the event, and there was no sight of the Omega that was given the vital responsibility of delivering the opening address. A role of utmost importance, and one that was only given to him because he had delivered such a stellar performance during COPIR's first event.

“I can’t believe that he chose to disappear on us today, of all days.”

Raine peaked through the stage curtains with a sigh. “You must have given it away, Kei.”

The secretary turned red. “I did not!”

The female Beta sniggered derisively. “Sure,” she obliged with a smirk. “I’ve seen the way you talk to him. You’re excessively emotive.”

Much to her amusement, the Beta began to splutter indignantly. At the same time, a brunette appeared backstage, looking worse for wear.

“Michele.” Kei scowled, “you had one fucking job.”

The Beta narrowed his eyes, but refrained from saying anything in reply.

“So he ran,” Raine announced, “for no apparent reason at all?”

Michele shifted uncomfortably. "Stop this."

Kei turned to him with a frown. "What?"

"Stop this. All of this," the Beta scowled, "I'm tired of your acting."

A deathly silence followed.

"You know why he didn't show up." Michele continued to say, as he eyed the two Betas by his side in thinly veiled disgust. "So stop this pretence."

The effect of his words was immediate. Kei's eyes darkened, but unlike before, the brunette did not feel a single ounce of fear.

"Did you forget about our deal?"

Michele steeled himself as the secretary inched closer to him with a malicious smile.

"Unless, of course." Kei murmured, turning to pin him with a vacuous stare. "You wouldn't mind having your sister play the game as well."

His faux bravado cracked.

"You leave her out of this." The brunette demanded, but try as he would, he couldn't suppress the tremor in his voice. "She cannot be harmed."

Fingers bunched the collar of his shirt, pulling him down a few inches.

"Then do as you are told," Kei hissed right into his ear, "and no harm will come to you or your sister."

The secretary shoved him away once he was done speaking, and the brunette stumbled backwards shakily.

Michele glared at the two Betas after he had regained his balance. "You are all sick."

They didn't look the least bit fazed.

"You can't keep manipulating people like this," the brunette spat heatedly. "Don't you have a conscience?"

A sad smile crossed his lips.

"If every person had one, the world wouldn't be the way it is today," Kei said with a bitter gleam in his eyes. "We suffer, we adapt, and we survive. That is an unspoken law that we must all abide by."

And in that instant, his forlorn expression was wiped away. "Besides, this is all but a test."

Raine smiled softly at his proclamation.

"An Alpha and an Omega. Two individuals that share a complicated history, and were made tragic enemies by the system."

Michele froze.

"A perfect example for the people." Kei's smile fell abruptly, and he looked almost sad. "And through their struggles, perhaps Japan will finally understand her mistakes."

Raine nodded. "We are only doing what is best for the country."

"So that's why," Michele breathed. "That's why you're doing all this."

"If even they are capable of reconciling, there is hope for our country's recovery."

Kei turned to regard him tiredly, and in that rare moment of weakness he had let slip, his expression gave away far more than he would've liked.

And the brunette could only watch as the secretary covered up his exhaustion with a laugh, blinking away the clear age in his eyes.

"You will understand why in due time." Raine added softly. "I can only hope that you trust us enough to wait."

* * *

“I’m sorry, Yuuri. She was gone before I realised it.”

A sob caught in his throat, and he bit his lip to contain it.

_How?_

“I am so sorry, Yuuri.” Mari’s voice cracked a little on the other end of the receiver, and he felt his self-restraint crumble. “I should have been more alert, especially after you visited-”

He pulled himself off the bathroom floor, using the sink as a leverage.

_How did it happen?_

“I was taking part in the game.” Yuuri gritted out, “somehow or another, and I didn’t complete a task, but how was I to know-”

“It wasn’t your fault.”

Mari sounded sad, but the assurances felt empty. In a sudden a rush of emotion, the Omega slammed his fist into the sink, feeling his knuckles split.

“Yuuri.” His sister said firmly, “there was no way you could have known.”

His eyes were red. He glanced at his shaking fist, to the red which coated the sides of the white porcelain.

He should have been notified of his participation in the game via his phone. But he hadn’t received any news of it, not even the slightest indication which could’ve alerted him of the events ahead, and he would’ve done his hardest to prevent it-

His hand felt numb.

Mari was saying something now- placating words, no doubt, but he couldn’t seem to hear them.

He stared at his own reflection in the mirror numbly. He had been in the apartment bathroom since the morning, his speech a distant memory.

“I should’ve done more,” Mari offered sadly.

Yuuri squeezed his eyes shut. “No,” he bit out, “it wasn’t your fault.”

_It was mine._

It would’ve been fine if he alone had to atone for his sins- but having his loved ones pay for it with their lives was an entirely different matter.

“You need to go to the police.” Yuuri hissed, with urgency building in his chest. ““You need to make sure that they can’t target you, and-”

He had no way of knowing who was next. He hadn’t been receiving any texts regarding the game, and he hated how there was no plausible way for him to dictate the fates of his friends and family.

It was _sick_.

“I can’t complete the tasks if I wasn't even aware of them in the first place.”

This meant that no one was going to be spared. He almost wished that he was any normal participant of the game.

“I couldn’t even save her because I didn't know how to.”

The words lodged in his throat, and they stumbled forth as a stream of incoherent sobs. He was having an emotional breakdown.

"Yuuri." His sister barked firmly. "Calm down."

"She's gone," Yuuri croaked. "I should have been there."

His sister remained silent for a good minute, and for a moment he was almost certain that she had left too.

"Mari-"

"Piggy."

The call had been intercepted. Yuuri lowered the phone to check the caller's ID quickly, confirming it to be the voice of his friend.

"Yurio." Yuuri acknowledged, swallowing his emotions. "What's the matter?"

"Are you still at the event?"

Yuuri sniffed. "N-no."

"What?" Yurio hissed, and he could almost visualise the Alpha's scowl through the call. "Aren't you supposed to deliver a speech?"

"Vicchan is dead."

There was a pause the other end. "Who?"

"My-" Yuuri tried to say, but he quickly became choked with emotion. _My-_

"Oh." The Alpha almost sounded lost, and in a striking moment of empathy, he probed further. "How?"

His vision wavered.

"Someone sent her in a box."

He heard a sharp inhale.

"It wasn't a hate crime." Yuuri gritted out, "I was part of the game but I didn't know-"

"Wait," the Alpha said sharply, "what game?"

His mind raced back to the scene.

"Blue Whale."

It was etched clearly in his memory, the stark black font on the slip of paper that had been placed neatly by the remains of his pet.

Yurio was quiet for a moment. "I have something to tell you," he began slowly, "but you have to promise that you wouldn't do anything rash."

Anger surged forth, and Yuuri narrowed his eyes. "Of course."

The Alpha appeared to hesitate for too long. "This might sound stupid, piggy. But this would perfectly explain why-"

"What is it?"

Yurio swallowed. "Where is your old phone?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ;w; I'm so sorry, Yuuri. But it had to be done.
> 
> Sorry for the absurd amount of OCs introduced. No worries, they will never be as important as the actual characters of Yoi. Kei will be an exception, and he will represent a certain group of people. Ahaha. There are actually a lot of implications/foreshadowing in the dialogues from this chapter. owo
> 
> Also, an extra note: the Blue Whale (game) is real. The game in this fic will be loosely based on it.
> 
> Send me an ask on [tumblr](https://chibifoxx-fic.tumblr.com/).


	18. Author's Note (Please Read!)

Firstly, I'm very sorry- this is not a new chapter. 

I will be rewriting the fic from chapter 12 onwards. 

Why the rewrite: Mainly, I will be shortening the fic. My writing has become too lengthy, and I have a tendency to do that with large fics. I am currently unsatisfied with the progress of the story and I feel that better justice could be done to it. Some minor edits/restructuring will be done to the chapters before 12. The plot will likely take a completely different turn from the chapters following 11, _but_ they will still contain some elements from the original plot (aka. dream sequences/speeches). Instead of dwelling so much on the political aspect of the story, the rewrite will focus on progressing Yuuri and Victor's relationship. (What I initially set out to do, but along the way I digressed and the plot became too convoluted for my liking). The reason as to why I have decided on this rewrite is because I am very serious about finishing APA. 

How will I plan this rewrite: I will be starting it as a separate fic, as part of a series. The original fic (this one) will _not_ be deleted. The first few chapters of the rewrite (1-11) will be uploaded sometime around September, by prediction, with little/no difference compared to the original, depending on the chapter. Chapter 12 onwards will be majorly edited. 

I will also be changing my update schedule. Instead of updating the fic chapter by chapter, I will finish up to a few chapters (4-5, perhaps) each time before uploading the chapters slowly, week by week. This is in view of my schedule in the future (I’m starting college in mid-August and I won’t have much free time for myself at all), and also so that I can tweak certain parts of the story if need be. You’ll hear from me around September, and I'll be posting another author's note with the link to the rewritten fic. So… please take it as a (short?) break ^^“ 

For those still confused about my update schedule from now onwards, take for example: From Jan to March/April, there will be no updates. But for the entire month/s of May/June, there will be updates weekly.

Thank you for your understanding. I understand that this might seem extremely abrupt, but the thought of a rewrite has been brewing for some time now. Sincerely, I apologise- but some elements from the original will definitely be carried on to its rewritten form. Please don't be shocked- and a huge thank you to those who have been supporting me so avidly, so far ;w; 

I will still be on Tumblr ([link](https://chibifoxx-fic.tumblr.com/)), so please do drop me a message! I don't bite, I'm really friendly, I swear! And I would love to reach out to more people. I just want to make APA a better experience for all. 

Do drop me any opinions!

Edit: Do not worry- I am not doing this due to negative comments! So please don't feel that your responses are somewhat responsible for this :)) That will be the last thing I'd want for you to feel.

28/7 Edit edit: I will be rewriting the story from Chapter 7. Just a headsup: some chapters will be combined in the rewrite, aka. Chapter 1&2, 3&4\. The plot won't change drastically, though. I am confident that you will enjoy this version better ^-^

For those who have been following this story so closely... words cannot express how sorry I am. To be keeping track of every detail of it... really, I can only imagine how upset you must feel upon reading this note. From the bottom of my heart, sorry.


	19. Another Author's Note (Final one, I promise)

Soo... as many of you have noticed, I have not kept my promise. Mid-September turned to mid-October and even now, I'm not ready to publish the first chapter of the rewrite simply because I am swamped with work. I have not forgotten about the rewrite, in fact, it is and will always be, a nagging thought at the back of my mind (just to assuage any doubts). No matter what, I will not abandon this work. It's all a matter of when, and how soon I will update. 

With this final author's note... I have decided to push the dateline to the end of December (20-30~). My finals end early December, and that will leave plenty of time for me to finish at least the first few chapters of the rewrite. ^.^ This is the last notice of any delay... and you WILL see the rewrite up by then! Cheerio, let's enjoy the rest of our year (as much as we can, good gracious College burns me out like never before) before the much awaited holidays! Looking forward to seeing you all soon! <3


	20. Update

So. 

Sorry for going MIA for so long. Truth be told, I haven't been able to juggle school work and leisure writing well (I did try initially, but my grades took the toll and I was forced to prioritise). However, it was still my responsibility to inform the readers, and I'm sorry this came so late. I wasn't sure if there was anyone still waiting on this story, because I've made so many broken promises (and... I wasn't sure how to face you all). Ultimately, it's still my fault. I'm planning on writing again once YOI season 2 arrives - or at least draft the story by then. 

I haven't been active on Tumblr since then either, so I'm sorry if you tried to contact me there too (I only use Insta nowadays). Again, really sorry. You must have become tired and weary of waiting, but I have not given up on APA... (actually had a wild idea of penning this idea as an original story lol but... nah). 

I came back to AO3 expecting a fall in subscriptions/bookmarks etc... but I'm honestly taken aback to see no changes. It's heartwarming beyond words. 

See you all soon.


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